We went 3-0 for +3.5 units with our NBA predictions on Thursday, which means we have now gone more than two weeks since we had a losing night with these. Now, we’re hoping to stay hot with another profitable evening on Friday, March 24.
There are a lot of big spreads on the slate for tonight, but we’re putting our faith in a few heavy favorites.
All NBA odds are current as of Friday, March 24, at 9 a.m. ET, and are provided courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Zachary Cohen’s 2022-23 NBA Betting Record: 34-20
NBA Best Bet Odds Today
Best NBA Predictions Today
Milwaukee Bucks vs Utah Jazz: Bucks -9 (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1.5 Units
The NBA bet of the day for Friday has us hoping the Bucks can blow the Jazz out. Over the last two seasons, Milwaukee is 19-8 against the spread when facing teams with losing records in the second half of the season.
The Bucks have won those games by an average of 10.5 points per game, and that’s important considering they’re nine-point favorites here.
Utah continues to be without Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Lauri Markkanen, which is brutal for this team. Markkanen is having a fantastic season, and the Jazz will miss his ability to score against an elite Bucks defense.
Milwaukee has the best defensive rating in the league this year, and this group should suffocate a Utah team that is low in talent right now.
It’s also a little hard to envision the Jazz slowing down this Bucks team. Milwaukee has the fifth-best offensive rating in the NBA over the last 10 games, and Utah will have no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday.
This Jazz team has been really kind to bettors this season, but this is just too tough of an ask. This one could get pretty ugly.
Detroit Pistons vs Toronto Raptors: Raptors -14 (-115) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Pistons have lost four games in a row, and they lost all of those games by double-digits. Now, Detroit will be taking on a Toronto team that really needs a win, and the difference in motivation between these two is hard to ignore.
Not only are the Pistons a team that doesn’t care much about winning right now, but it’s a defeated group at the moment. It seems like Dwane Casey is ripping his players for making mistakes on a nightly basis, and it’s hard to imagine them responding very well to that.
Casey is firmly on the hot seat for Detroit, and it seems like he is trying to absolve himself of all blame.
Something that is interesting about this matchup is that the Pistons are 4-21 ATS when facing teams that they have lost to three times already this season. Detroit has lost those games by an average of 14.2 points per game.
Now, it’s time for the Raptors to get in on the action and contribute to that miserable average margin of victory. Look for this to be a blowout, with Toronto having a massive edge all throughout the lineup.
The Raptors are also 23-14 SU and 21-16 ATS when playing at home this season, so this team goes to another level in Canada.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Golden State Warriors: Warriors -5.5 (-109) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Warriors come into this one after having won back-to-back games on the road, and they now get to return home. Golden State is 29-7 SU and 25-11 ATS when playing at the Chase Center, and the team should be able to cover against Philadelphia.
Over the last two seasons, the Warriors are 29-12 ATS in home games against teams that have beaten them earlier in the year. They’re also 15-5 ATS when that loss was by 10 or more points, and Golden State has won the follow-up game by an average of 8.8 points per game.
This Warriors backcourt should be too much for the Sixers, even if both teams have all their stars in this one. But Joel Embiid, Jalen McDaniels, and James Harden are all listed as questionable for Philadelphia.
That’s baked into the price a little, but it’s probably worth backing Golden State early and waiting to see what happens with those guys. If either Harden or Embiid are out, the line is going to move drastically.
No matter what happens with the Sixers availability, we’re expecting big things from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson tonight.
