NBA best bets and picks for Friday night's slate comes from the BUCKETS Podcast, where our analysts gave out picks for four of the games on tonight's seven-game slate, including Spurs vs. Hornets, Nuggets vs. Celtics, Hawks vs. Heat and Nets vs. Lakers.
Read their analysis and listen to the latest episode of the BUCKETS Podcast below.
Best NBA Bets Tonight | Expert Picks From the 'Buckets' Podcast (Jan. 19)
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | Hornets -4.5 |
| 7 p.m. | LaMelo Ball Over 25.5 Points |
  | 7:30 p.m. | Celtics -5.5 |
  | 8 p.m. | Over 228.5 |
  | 10:30 p.m. | Lakers -7 |
Hornets -4.5 vs. Spurs
7 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
By Sean Little
Victor Wembanyama is out.
That is certainly a big part of this cap. The Spurs are 0-5 when he has sat this season and four of those games were on the road. The average margin in those road games is -14.75 points per game.
Both of these teams are bad and I don't think the Spurs have enough production without Wembanyama. Zach Collins is also listed as questionable and if he is out, I think this line moves to -5. I would play it at this number as well.
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LaMelo Ball Over 25.5 Points vs. Spurs
7 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
By Sean Little
I think this number is flat-out too low. He missed all of December, but since he has been back, he's averaged 26 points per game. He is coming off a 29-point performance against the Pelicans.
The Spurs give up 28.14 points per game to point guards, which is the most allowed this season. He likes playing at home, where he averages 27.3 ppg, as opposed to 22.4 on the road.
He scored 28 against the Spurs in his first game back from injury and this is his first game at home since returning.
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Celtics -5.5 vs. Nuggets
7:30 p.m. ET ⋅ ESPN
By Matt Moore
The Nuggets over the past couple of years are a great home team. They are not a great road team, relatively.
The Celtics are awesome at home. They are riding a streak at home of 20-straight wins. They match up very well against the Nuggets with two great guards to guard Jamal Murray (Jrue Holiday and Derrick White).
This will be a playoff-type atmosphere. I have a slight lean on the under but I don't think the Nuggets will be able to get stops on the road and remain on a road trip after losing a tough one to the 76ers.
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Hawks vs. Heat Over 228.5
8 p.m. ET ⋅ NBA League Pass
By Matt Moore
Heat at home this year are 11-8 to the over.
We know the Hawks have been an over team all season. The Heat's 3-point percentage has dipped back down but fortunately they get to play the Hawks, which should help boost that back up.
My model has this at 238 and I would take this at pretty much any number.
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Lakers -7 vs. Nets
10:30 p.m. ET ⋅ ESPN
By Matt Moore
The Nets were the best team against the spread in the NBA over the first few months. They are deep into a west-coast road trip and they look and play like they are banged up. They are 1-9 straight-up in their last 10 games and are 1-10 against the spread in their last 11 games.
The Lakers have been great at home and I like them at home very much. I am going to lay the seven here as opposed to the juice at 6.5. I have this modeled at 10. The Nets don't have a front-court that can compete with the Lakers.
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