NBA Betting: Five Picks for Friday’s Slate

Basketball fans and bettors have nine games to choose from on the NBA schedule Friday night. However, the most interesting matchup on the slate features the Milwaukee Bucks facing the Chicago Bulls at United Center on ESPN. The Bucks are on a four-game winning streak, while the Bulls are looking for a victory after splitting their past 10 games.

There are two prop bets from this game that bettors would be wise to pay attention to, which leads to the first recommendation:

• Coby White over 19.5 points: The Bucks have struggled defending the perimeter all season and rank 28th in points per game allowed to point guards. Meanwhile, White has cleared this line in six of his past 10 games, including his past two games against Milwaukee this season.
• Chicago Bulls over 108.5 points: Expect the Bulls to put up a lot of points against the Bucks on Friday night, especially on their home court. Chicago has scored over 108.5 points in seven of their past 10 games, including two of their past three games against the Bucks this season. The Bulls should be able to take advantage of a leaky Bucks defense even with Doc Rivers at the helm.
• Jalen Duren over 12.5 assists and rebounds: The Pistons enter Friday night’s game against the Cavs as 9.5-point underdogs but have covered the spread in each of their past three games. Although Duren has failed to clear this line in his two games against the Cavaliers this season, he has had a ton of success. Duren has exceeded 12.5 assists and rebounds in 70% of his games this season, including five straight.
• Derrick White over 18.5 points and assists: The Mavericks have not been a great defensive team this season, ranking 20th in points allowed per 100 possessions. White is in a great spot to shine at home with Boston as 10.5-point favorites. He has surpassed 18.5 points and assists in four of his past five games and has averaged 32.3 MPG over that span.
• CJ McCollum over 20.5 points and assists: McCollum has surpassed 20.5 points and assists in 68% of his games this season, including seven of his past 10 games. He just cleared this line in the Pelicans’ last game against the Pacers on Wednesday. Every game is critical for New Orleans right now as the Pelicans continue to fight for playoff seeding in the West, which bodes well for McCollum clearing the over.

It’s important to consider projections and injury reports when making betting decisions. Odds are provided by ESPN Bet, Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics, and injury aggregation by Rotowire.com.

One of the games on the radar is the Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit. The Cavaliers have a record of 38-20 against the spread, while the Pistons stand at 9-49. The line is set at Cavaliers (-8.5) with a total of 221.5. Bettors have plenty of options to consider for Friday’s NBA slate, and these picks provide some valuable insights for those looking to make informed wagers.