The NBA regular season resumes with another loaded slate this Friday, with a total of 9 matchups on the docket scheduled for today. So, our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified all the best value on the board for tonight.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made 6 NBA picks for today's matchups. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Friday, January 17.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Hornets vs. Bulls
By Joe Dellera
Mark Williams absolutely smashed last game without Nick Richards, and now gets an opportunity to do so again against the Bulls, one of the best matchups for opposing Centers this seasons.
The Bulls play at one of the fastest Paces in the league, and they allow the second-highest frequency of shots at the Rim.
Just a few weeks ago, Williams scored 20 points against them and it seemed like he couldn’t miss from the field.
The key here is the minutes. Without Richards, he played over 30 minutes against Utah.
This was a number that was already climbing as he continued to ramp up, but now the rotation is cleared.
When he’s played 25+ minutes this season, he has exceeded 15.5 points in 5/6 games (the only miss came against Cleveland) while averaging 20 points per game.
I’ll back Williams to stay hot tonight.
Pick: Mark Williams Over 15.5 Points (-110)
| | | | | |
Timberwolves vs. Knicks
Come on, you know you want to…
Randle has scored 20 or more points in two of his last four games, while putting up at least 13 shot attempts in each outing.
But bigger than that is his return to the Garden tonight.
Do you think he's gonna go out quietly? Hell, I'm not even positive he'll be all that efficient, but he went 7-for-14 in his first game against the Knicks last month. Oh, excuse me, that was in the first half — in which he scored 21 of his 24 points. And he only capped at 24 because the Wolves got their butts kicked — Randle and other starters sat the fourth quarter.
I'm cool with being dead-wrong on this. But as a New Yorker who has seen way too many Julius Randle possessions over the last 5 or 6 years, seeing him cash the Over on his points prop in another loss would be the least surprising outcome tomorrow.
Pick: Julius Randle Over 19.5 Points (-130)
| | | | | |
Nuggets vs. Heat
By Alex Hinton
Tonight, the Denver Nuggets will take on the Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2023 NBA Finals. However, tonight's matchup has a lot going on for both teams. For Denver, Nikola Jokic is questionable for tonight's game with an elbow injury that kept him out of Wednesday's game against the Rockets.
Meanwhile, the Heat are returning home from a six-game road trip that sometimes leaves teams sluggish in the first half. Additionally, Jimmy Butler's suspension is technically over and the team is prepared for him to play tonight.
However, Butler has made it abundantly clear that he wants it out of Miami. Given this situation, do we really think Butler will be a net positive for the team? I would lean "no." Without Butler, Miami is just 8-9 this season.
We all know how much the Nuggets struggle in the non-Jokic minutes, so there is a bit of pick your poison on both sides. However, given that Wednesday's game was the second of a back-to-back for the Nuggets, I have a feeling that Jokic plays with a few more days to recover.
For that reason, I am willing to take the risk while there is still value. The line has already shifted in the Nuggets favor after Miami opened as a 3.5-point favorite. If Jokic is officially ruled in, the Nuggets may the team favored by 3.5 points.
Denver won the first meeting this season 135-122 in Denver in a game that Jokic had 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists. Denver has won each of the last five regular season and is 4-1 against the spread as well.
If Jokic is in, expect the Nuggets to use their size advantage to claim another victory over the Heat tonight.
Pick: Nuggets Moneyline (-105)
| | | | | |
Thunder vs. Mavericks
By Bill Marzano
The Thunder struck last night with a huge win over the Cavaliers, who are now tied with the best overall record in NBA and will have to avoid any type of "letdowns" traveling on the road to take on a struggling Mavericks squad tonight.
The Thunder crushed the Cavs last night, so a lot of the starters were able to rest in the fourth quarter and should have plenty of legs for the second half of the back-to-back, as one of the strengths of this squad is their depth off the bench.
The Thunder are one of the best overall scoring defenses in the NBA. Look for them to turn in a huge effort tonight against a Mavs squad missing several key players, most notably Luka Doncic.
The Mavs have dropped three straight and eight of their last 10 overall.
Kyrie Irving has missed seven of the last nine games with a back injury, and I don't think he matches up well against this defense that will get after it on the boards and in the paint.
The Thunder have won an amazing 19 of their last 20 games overall, and this game means a lot to them after splitting the first two meetings of the season against the team that eliminated them in last year's playoffs.
Dallas pulled off a 121-119 road victory on November 17 without Doncic, and Oklahoma City registered 118-104 home win on December 10. SGA has averaged 37.5 points in the two games. I'll take OKC's team total Over.
Pick: Thunder Team Total Over 116.5 (-110)
| | | | | |
Grizzlies vs. Spurs
The Grizzlies and Spurs faced off just two days ago, with the former overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit and eventually winning by 14 points. The strategy for the Grizz was clear: force anyone not named Victor Wembanyama to beat them.
Wemby finished his last outing against Memphis with merely 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting from the field. He was often double-teamed and forced into contested shots. But what was most notable is how many different defenders the Grizzlies were able to throw at Wemby.
Rookie center Zach Edey stands at 7-foot-4 and has enough length to contest Wemby and, certainly, has a stronger base. Interior scoring will be tough to come by.
Memphis also deployed 7-foot-1 Jay Huff (who is quite nimble for his size) on Wemby, while the Grizzlies even closed the game with 6-foot-11 Santi Aldama contesting him.
Aldama has the lateral quickness to keep Wemby in front of him and at least force him into tough, contested shots from behind the arc.
So, perimeter scoring for Wemby won't be easy, either. I see this as another game in which Wemby will likely struggle to score.
Pick: Victor Wembanyama Under 25.5 Points (-110)
| | | | | |
Nets vs. Lakers
By Ray Monohan
The Nets and Lakers clash on Friday, and I'm expecting a high-scoring affair.
You never really know what you'll get out of the Lakers each night, but they matchup very well with the Nets and should be able to find a ton of offensive success in this one.
Brooklyn is a young team that loves to push the ball and run, which leaves them exposed on the defensive end.
The Nets gave up 126 points to the Clippers last game, and this is going to be another tough spot for them against the other LA side.
Look for this game to turn into a track meet and for both teams to attack early in the shot clock. Grab the over.
Pick: Over 217 (-110)
| | | | | |
