There is a loaded schedule Friday night in the NBA, topped off by the first-place Miami Heat of the Southeast against the Detroit Pistons. It took a lot longer than expected, but the Heat can say they are the best in the Eastern Conference following the Boston Celtics home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night.
The Heat are 38-14 and have won their last seven. They are finally playing the kind of basketball everyone expected them to after signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh in the offseason. They travel to Detroit, who they coincidentally started their current winning streak on back in January with a come-from-behind 88-87 win. The Pistons are 20-33 and second to last in the Central Division, but they have won three of their last four as they fight to become playoff relevant again. The Heat are the easy favorites in this one with an over/under higher than Detroit is accustomed to because of its letdown on defense this year.
Another big game Friday night in the NBA is the Lakers traveling to the New York Knicks (26-25). The Lakers (37-16) are coming off one of their biggest wins of the season over Boston but are still 7.5 games back of the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference. They are the short favorites to beat the Knicks.
The Cleveland Cavaliers (8-45) will try to end their record 26-game losing streak when the Los Angeles Clippers (20-32) come to town. Even though they have lost six of their last 10 games, the Clippers are the easy pick as a 4-point favorite and the over/under isn’t too big to avoid at 206. The home team has covered in the last five meetings between these two. The Clippers are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite while Cleveland is 1-9-1 ATS in its last 11 home games.
The Utah Jazz (31-23) will move on without 22-year coach Jerry Sloan at home against the Phoenix Suns (25-25). The Jazz are 6-point favorites and the over/under is 208.5.
Friday NBA Game Odds (provided by Titan Bet)
New Orleans Hornets @ Orlando Magic
Hornets: 39/10
Magic: 3/20
Point Spread: Magic -9
Over/Under: 190.5
New Jersey Nets @ Charlotte Bobcats
Nets: 12/5
Bobcats: 3/10
Point Spread: Bobcats -6.5
Over/Under: 186.5
Minnesota Timberwolves @Indiana Pacers
Timberwolves: 33/1
Pacers: 1/5
Point Spread: Pacers -8
Over/Under: 217.5
Miami Heat @ Detroit Pistons
Heat: 1/4
Pistons: 3/1
Point Spread: Heat -7.5
Over/Under: 190.5
Portland Trail Blazers @ Toronto Raptors
Trail Blazers: 13/20
Raptors: 5/4
Point Spread: Trail Blazers -3
Over/Under: 197
San Antonio Spurs @ Philadelphia 76ers
Spurs: 13/20
76ers: 5/4
Point Spread: Spurs -3
Over/Under: 197
Los Angeles Clippers @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Clippers: 1/2
Cavaliers: 3/2
Point Spread: Clippers -4
Over/Under: 206
Los Angeles Lakers @ New York Knicks
Lakers: 3/5
Knicks: 13/10
Point Spread: Lakers -3
Over/Under: 2111
Milwaukee Bucks @ Memphis Grizzlies
Bucks: 17/10
Grizzlies: 9/20
Point Spread: Grizzlies -5
Over/Under: 183.5
Phoenix Suns @ Utah Jazz
Suns: 43/20
Jazz: 7/20
Point Spread: Jazz -6
Over/Under: 208.5