Friday offers up an exciting slate with nine games scheduled across the league. The Heat and Nuggets tip off at 9 p.m. ET, followed up by Trail Blazers-Warriors to finish off the night at 10 p.m. ET. There are a few key betting angles to break down in both games to make the sharpest NBA betting predictions and picks. For even more NBA picks and analysis, be sure to visit the OddsShopper tools.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
The Portland Trail Blazers travel to California on Friday night to take on the Golden State Warriors inside Chase Center. This will be the first of four games against one another this season. The Warriors have polar-opposite records at home compared to on the road this season, boasting the best home record in the league (15-2) and the worst road record (3-16). Despite Golden State’s success at home, Portland is the favorite in this one with the Warriors down several key starters. Do not let the Warriors’ recent success at home sway from taking Portland to cover on Friday night.
The Trail Blazers are 18-16 and are coming off a 124-113 home win against the Charlotte Hornets. They head into the Bay Area with a few listed injuries. Jusuf Nurkic (calf) is questionable, plus they will be without Keon Johnson (illness), Greg Brown III (illness), Justise Winslow (ankle), Nassir Little (hip) and Gary Payton II (core). These injuries have not stopped the Trail Blazers from producing on the offensive side of the ball. This team ranks third in offensive rating over the last 10 games, averaging 117.2 points per game. Portland has been much better when Damian Lillard is on the floor. The Blazers are 13-9 in games where he has been active.
The Warriors are still without two of their top scorers in Stephen Curry (shoulder) and Andrew Wiggins (illness). Draymond Green (foot) is listed as probable. The absence of Curry and Wiggins has shown, as the Warriors rank 28th in offensive rating over their last 10 games. Golden State relies heavily on the 3, leading the league in 3-pointers made with 14.3 per game. Portland has done a decent job defending the perimeter, allowing the ninth fewest 3-pointers made per game (11.7). Jordan Poole is averaging 27.5 points in the absence of Curry, but his 3-point shooting has dipped with the increase in attempts, shooting only 27.6% from beyond the arc. If Portland is able to apply pressure on Klay Thompson, it will force the Warriors to rely on Poole to handle the scoring.
The Blazers are just one of six teams with at least 10 wins on the road to start the season. Lillard is playing extremely well in his last 10 games, averaging 29.5 points on 41.1% from beyond the arc. Lillard is from Oakland and loves to show out in front of his childhood city, as he has scored at least 30 points in three of his last four outings in Chase Center. The Warriors are dealing with a lot of injuries to the point where it is going to be difficult to pick up a win against the Trail Blazers despite Golden State’s impressive home record. Portland has the best record against the spread in the league, going 21-13 and 12-8 against the spread on the road. Take Portland to cover the spread and steal a victory on the road.
Best Trail Blazers-Warriors NBA Bet: Trail Blazers -1
Heat-Nuggets Bet
The Miami Heat face off with the Nuggets in Denver on Friday night. The Heat have won two straight against Western Conference teams, including a 112-98 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Miami has now won five games in a row against the Western Conference and will look to extend that streak tonight against the Nuggets. The Nuggets snapped a five-game win streak with a 127-126 loss to Sacramento on Wednesday. Denver has been excellent at home, posting a 12-3 record on the season. Keep an eye on injury updates in this one, as both Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray are questionable for Denver.
Per usual, the Heat have a laundry list of players on their injury report. This has been a common theme with this squad dating back to last season. Jimmy Butler‘s status is the most important one to keep an eye on, as he has been playing every other game as of late. All signs point to him suiting up tonight, and he is expected to handle his normal workload. Miami’s center Bam Adebayo has been playing lights in December, averaging 21.3 points and 11.1 rebounds in 11 games this month. He will present a solid matchup against Nikola Jokic.
Jokic is leading the MVP race to start the 2022-23 campaign, averaging nearly a triple-double of 25.7 points, 10.8 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game. Murray is progressing, with three straight games of 25-plus points, but his status is up in the air as he deals with knee injury management. The Nuggets have shined on the offensive side of the ball this year, ranking second in offensive rating with a 57.4% effective field goal percentage. Their struggles have come on defense. The Nuggets are allowing 114.2 points per game on 48.7% shooting from the field (27th). If Miami gets hot from deep, the Nuggets could be in for a long night.
With the uncertainty around Gordon and Murray’s playing status, take the points with the Heat. This line indicates that both players will suit up, but if either player ends up getting scratched, the current line could present some nice closing line value for Miami bettors. The Nuggets are 0-4 against the spread in the last four games following a straight-up loss, and they have covered the spread in just two of the last 10 games when working on one day of rest. Take the points with Miami and watch for a potential outright win on Friday.
Best Heat-Nuggets NBA Bet: Heat +4
