After a couple of bad beats on Wednesday, Friday night felt pretty good. Due to COVID protocols, the Memphis/Minnesota game was postponed, narrowing it down to 4 picks. However, of those four picks, three bets hit and only one lost. A 3-1 performance on Friday puts the overall record at a respectable 6-3. Pushing onward, here are the best bets for tonight:
Thunder at Nuggets OVER 220.5 Points
Denver’s offense has been fantastic this season. They are third-best in offensive efficiency, fifth in shooting percentage at 48.3%, and seventh in points scored at 115.4. Led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets continue to play sound and productive basketball. On the contrary, the Thunder have not been great on the offensive end. They are second to last in offensive efficiency and are third-worst in points scored at 106. The good thing for the Thunder is they are going up against a poor Denver defense, ranking 4th worst in the league. Additionally, the over has hit in 12 of the Nuggets’ last 16 matches. Expect a high-scoring affair and the total to go over 220.5.
Jazz (-6.5) vs. Pelicans
Utah is playing exceptional basketball right now. Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz have won five straight, covering the spread in each game, while shooting at almost 50% as a team. They are currently sitting at 10th in offensive efficiency but are rising in the rankings after every game. The Pelicans have been struggling mightily as of late. Before Sunday’s win against the Kings, New Orleans was riding a five-game losing streak. Some of the losses were close, but the Pelicans have failed to perform to their potential this year. They are a below-average 5-10 against the spread in their last 15. Look for Utah’s defense to go to work and cover.
Nuggets (-9.5) vs. Thunder
As mentioned above, Denver is playing better basketball than the Thunder at this point in the season. With center Al Horford sidelined for personal reasons, the Joker will be looking to feast in the paint. Furthermore, the Thunder have not played particularly well against Denver. Over the last 12 games in Denver, Oklahoma City has only covered the spread one time. In their previous five against Denver, they failed to cover the spread. The Thunder will be out for revenge tonight, but the Nuggets have proven to be a tough matchup for them. Denver will come out strong at home and take care of the Thunder.
Pelicans at Jazz UNDER 217.5 Points
The Jazz defense currently ranks sixth in the NBA and is allowing the fourth-fewest points per game. With New Orleans ranking at 17th in offensive efficiency, this does not bode well for the away team. On top of that, they are the sixth-worst scoring team in the NBA at 107.8 points per game. Over the Pelicans’ last 14 games against Western Conference teams, the under has hit ten times. Over Utah’s six games played in January, the total has gone under five times. The Jazz will keep Zion Williamson and New Orleans’ mediocre offense in check, forcing the under to hit.
(Lines via BetMGM)
