Friday’s Best Bets: NBA Picks & Predictions (October, 27th, 2023)

• Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
• Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers
• New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks
• Orlando Magic vs Portland Trail Blazers
• Denver Nuggets vs Memphis Grizzlies
• Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings
• Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs
• Los Angeles Clippers vs Utah Jazz

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers

• Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
• Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH
• TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is the location where the Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31 last year) will go up against the Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42 last season) on Friday.

The Thunder faced off with the Bulls and earned the victory with a final of 124-104 in their last game. Regarding fouls, the Thunder walked away with 19 while the Bulls finished the game with 16 fouls. They made 12 of 42 attempts from beyond the arc. Chicago finished the game at 77.8% at the charity stripe by converting 14 of 18 attempts. In addition, Chicago collected 42 boards (13 offensive, 29 defensive) and earned 4 blocked shots. Chicago earned 26 assists and had 10 steals in the matchup. With respect to defense, Oklahoma City allowed the other team to go 41.5% from the floor on 39 of 94 shooting. They also doled out 30 assists in the game while forcing 12 turnovers and earning 6 steals. In the matter of pulling down rebounds, they compiled a total of 43 with 5 of them being on the offensive end. From the free throw line, the Thunder converted 15 of 18 tries for a percentage of 83.3%. Oklahoma City ended the game having earned a 54.9% field goal percentage (45 out of 82) and converted 19 out of their 39 shots from beyond the perimeter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a player who played a role in the matchup. Gilgeous-Alexander finished 66.7% from the field and earned 10 assists. He was on the court for 36 minutes and pulled down 5 boards. He ended up walking away with 31 points on 12 of 18 shooting.

Oklahoma City will enter this game after finishing with a record of 40-42 last season. They averaged 117.5 points per game (5th in the league) while shooting 46.5% from the field. The Thunder shot 35.6% from downtown (995 of 2,797) and 80.9% from the charity stripe. As a basketball team, Oklahoma City collected 43.6 boards per game and had 2,002 assists last season, which was 21st in the league in terms of passing. They lost possession via turnover 13.0 times per contest and as a group committed 21.0 fouls per contest.

On the defensive end, the Thunder forced their opponents into 16.8 turnovers per contest while drawing 20.4 fouls. They were ranked 20th in basketball in allowing assists 2,126 conceded over the course of last season. The Thunder gave up a FG percentage of 47.4% (3,437 of 7,252) and they relinquished 46.6 rebounds per contest as a squad. They surrendered 35.8% on 3-pointers while they were 19th in the NBA in points per game allowed (116.4).

The last time they took the hardwood, the Cavaliers got the victory with a final of 114-113 when they faced the Nets. In reference to cleaning up the glass, Cleveland allowed Brooklyn to pull down 50 overall (13 on the offensive side). They shot 33.3% from 3-point land by going 9 out of 27 and walked away from this one shooting 20 of 26 at the free throw line (76.9%). The Cavaliers allowed the Nets to bury 42 out of 84 attempts from the field which had them at 50.0% in this matchup. When this game wrapped up, the Cavaliers ended up going 44 for 94 from the floor which gave them a percentage of 46.8%. Regarding shots from distance, Cleveland buried 17 of their 43 tries (39.5%). They were able to knock down 9 of the free throw attempts for a rate of 90.0%. The Nets earned 16 fouls for this game which got the Cavaliers to the free throw line for 10 attempts. They also coughed up the ball 10 times, while earning 10 steals in this matchup. The Cavaliers collected 29 defensive rebounds and 9 offensive boards for a total of 38 in this game.

Donovan Mitchell ended up being a major contributor for the Cavaliers in this contest. He made 11 out of 21 for the matchup for a rate of 52.4%, and earned 5 rebounds. Mitchell racked up 27 points in his 36 mins of playing time and added 6 assists for the contest.

Cleveland had a win-loss record of 51-31 last year. As an offensive team, the Cavaliers shot 48.8% from the field, which ranked 5th in the NBA. Cleveland had 9,205 points last season (112.3 per contest) and they grabbed 41.1 boards per game. Their rate of dishing out assists was at 24.9 times per game (19th in the NBA) and they turned the ball over 13.3 times per contest. The Cavaliers committed 19.0 personal fouls every game and they shot 78.0% from the charity stripe.

The Cavaliers on the defensive end were ranked 1st in the NBA in PPG allowed with 106.9. They forced 15.7 TO’s per game and let teams shoot 46.8% from the floor (7th in the league). The Cleveland defense conceded 36.8% on 3-point shots (924 of 2,508) and opponents connected on 78.2% of their shots from the free throw line. They have allowed 23.0 assists and 41.2 rebounds on a nightly basis, which is ranked 1st and 3rd in the league.

The Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder (+3)

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

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New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks

• Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
• Location: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA
• TV: Bally Sports Southeast-Atlanta

State Farm Arena is set to host an exciting NBA matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks. Last season, the Hawks finished with a record of 41-41, while the Knicks had a slightly better season with a record of 47-35.

In their previous game, the Knicks suffered a loss against the Celtics with a final score of 108-104. Despite their efforts, the Knicks struggled with their shooting, converting only 37.1% of their field goal attempts and 53.8% of their free throws. RJ Barrett was a standout player for the Knicks, scoring 24 points on 40.0% shooting.

New York had a solid season last year, finishing with a record of 47-35. They averaged 116.0 points per game, shooting 47.0% from the field. The Knicks will look to improve their shooting efficiency in this upcoming matchup.

The Hawks also faced a loss in their last game against the Hornets, with a final score of 116-110. Trae Young led the team with 23 points and 9 assists, but struggled with his shooting, converting only 21.1% of his field goal attempts.

Atlanta had a record of 41-41 last season. They were a strong offensive team, shooting 48.3% from the field and scoring an average of 118.4 points per game. However, their defense struggled, giving up an average of 118.1 points per game.

Based on their previous performances and overall records, the New York Knicks appear to have an edge in this matchup. But in the NBA, anything can happen, so tune in to see who will come out on top.

The Pick: New York Knicks (+4.5)

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

Orlando Magic vs Portland Trail Blazers

• Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
• Location: Moda Center in Portland, OR
• TV: ROOT Sports

Moda Center in Portland, OR is the venue for the highly-anticipated game between the Portland Trail Blazers (33-49 last season) and the Orlando Magic (34-48 last year) on Friday.

Recently, the Orlando Magic dominated their game against the Rockets and secured a convincing victory with a final score of 116-86. The Magic committed 20 fouls while the Rockets accumulated 24 fouls. Orlando made 12 of their 34 attempts from beyond the arc. Houston finished with a 62.5% free throw percentage by converting 10 of their 16 tries. Additionally, Houston grabbed 31 rebounds (7 offensive, 24 defensive) and recorded 5 blocks. The Rockets also had 19 assists and 6 steals. Defensively, Orlando limited their opponents to a 40.5% field goal percentage on 32 of 79 shooting. They had 19 assists and forced 18 turnovers, resulting in 8 steals. Orlando secured a total of 57 rebounds, with 17 of them on the offensive end. The Magic converted 23 of their 26 free throw attempts, resulting in a 88.5% free throw percentage. Overall, Orlando shot 48.3% from the field (42 out of 87) and made 9 of their 34 three-point attempts.

Cole Anthony delivered a stellar performance in the game, shooting 66.7% from the field and contributing 2 assists. He also grabbed 8 rebounds during his 24 minutes on the court, scoring a total of 20 points on 8 out of 12 shooting.

The Orlando Magic finished last season with a record of 34-48. They averaged 15.1 turnovers per game and committed 20.1 fouls per game. Orlando secured an average of 43.2 rebounds per game and recorded 1,906 assists, ranking them 26th in the league in terms of passing. The Magic had a 34.6% three-point shooting percentage (883 of 2,551) and a 78.4% free throw percentage. They averaged 111.4 points per game (26th in the NBA) while shooting 47.0% from the field.

Defensively, the Magic forced an average of 14.7 turnovers per game and committed 20.5 personal fouls. They allowed their opponents to shoot 35.1% from beyond the arc and averaged 114.0 points per game against. Orlando’s opponents shot 47.6% from the field (3,389 of 7,127) and recorded an average of 42.0 rebounds per game. The Magic surrendered 2,122 assists last season, ranking them 19th in the NBA.

In their previous game, the Portland Trail Blazers suffered a loss with a score of 123-111 against the Clippers. The Trail Blazers collected a total of 40 rebounds, with 25 on the defensive end and 15 on the offensive end. They committed 17 turnovers and recorded 10 steals. Portland had 20 personal fouls, leading to 17 free throw attempts. They made 13 of their free throw attempts, resulting in a 76.5% free throw percentage. From beyond the arc, Portland made 10 of their 32 attempts (31.3%). Overall, the Trail Blazers shot 47.3% from the field (44 out of 93). Defensively, they allowed the Clippers to shoot 52.2% from the field (47 out of 90). The Clippers made 16 of their 34 three-point attempts (47.1%) and made 13 of 16 free throws (81.3%). Portland allowed the Clippers to secure 45 rebounds, with 14 on the offensive end.

Malcolm Brogdon had an impressive performance for the Trail Blazers in the game. He shot 50.0% from the field, scoring 20 points in 23 minutes of play. He also contributed 2 rebounds and 5 assists.

Portland finished last season with a record of 33-49. They committed an average of 20.0 fouls per game and had a 79.6% free throw percentage. The Trail Blazers recorded an average of 24.2 assists per game (22nd in the league) and had an average of 14.5 turnovers per game. They scored a total of 9,299 points last season (113.4 per game) and secured an average of 40.5 rebounds per game. Offensively, they shot 47.4% from the field, ranking 17th in the league.

Defensively, the Trail Blazers surrendered an average of 117.4 points per game, ranking them 23rd in the NBA. They forced 13.5 turnovers per game and allowed their opponents to shoot 49.1% from the field. The Portland defense conceded 37.9% shooting percentage from beyond the arc and opponents made 78.7% of their free throw attempts. They allowed an average of 27.0 assists and 43.2 rebounds per game, ranking them 30th and 14th in the league, respectively.

The Pick: Portland Trailer Blazers (+3)

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

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Denver Nuggets vs Memphis Grizzlies

• Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
• Location: FedExForum in Memphis, TN
• TV: Bally Sports Southeast-Memphis

The Memphis Grizzlies (51-31 last season) welcome the Denver Nuggets (53-29 last year) at FedExForum on Friday.

The Nuggets faced the Lakers and earned the victory with a final of 119-107 in their last contest. In relation to fouls, the Nuggets ended up finishing with 15 while the Lakers racked up 18 fouls. They also buried 10 of their 29 attempts from 3-point land. Los Angeles shot 75.0% at the free throw line by converting 15 of 20 shots. Furthermore, Los Angeles pulled down 44 rebounds (13 offensive, 31 defensive) and got 6 blocked shots. Los Angeles earned 23 dimes and had 5 steals for the game. In terms of defense, Denver allowed their opponent to shoot 45.6% from the floor on 41 out of 90 shooting. They also recorded 29 dimes for this game while forcing the opposition into 11 turnovers and earning 9 steals. In terms of rebounding, they compiled 42 with 9 of them being of the offensive sort. When they shot from the charity stripe, the Nuggets converted 9 of their 12 tries for a percentage of 75.0%. Denver finished having earned a 52.7% field goal percentage (48 out of 91) and made 14 of 34 3-point attempts.

Nikola Jokic is someone who was a major factor for this game. Jokic finished the game shooting 54.5% from the floor and distributed 11 dimes. He saw the court for 36 mins played and totaled 13 rebounds. He ended up walking away with 29 points on 12 of 22 shooting.

Denver comes into this game after finishing with a record of 53-29 last season. They gave up possession 14.5 times per game and as a team committed 18.6 fouls per contest. As a team, Denver grabbed 43.0 rebounds per game and accounted for 2,368 assists throughout last season, which was 2nd in the NBA in terms of passing. The Nuggets shot 37.9% on shots from downtown (969 of 2,559) and 75.1% from the charity stripe. They averaged 115.8 points per contest (12th in the NBA) while shooting 50.4% from the field.

On the defensive end, the Nuggets forced 13.5 turnovers per game while drawing 19.5 fouls. They conceded 34.4% on three-point shots and they were ranked 8th in the NBA in points per game allowed (112.5). The Nuggets defensively gave up an opponent shooting percentage of 47.8% (3,423 of 7,166) and they surrendered 40.8 rebounds per contest as a group. They were ranked 16th in basketball in giving up assists with 2,105 relinquished last season.

In their last game, the Grizzlies took a defeat with a final score of 111-104 when they faced the Pelicans. The Grizzlies were able to pull down 29 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive boards totaling 37 in this contest. They also turned the ball over 13 times, while getting 8 steals for the matchup. The Pelicans committed 21 personal fouls in this matchup which got the Grizzlies to the charity stripe for a total of 20 tries. They were able to bury 16 of the free throw tries for a percentage of 80.0%. When it comes to shots from beyond the arc, Memphis made 12 of 43 tries (27.9%). Overall, the Grizzlies walked away from this one shooting 38 for 91 from the field which had them sitting at 41.8%. The Grizzlies permitted the Pelicans to make 40 of their 85 tries from the floor which left them with a rate of 47.1% in the game. They went 43.8% from distance by going 14 out of 32 and ended up going 17 out of 22 from the free throw line (77.3%). When talking about how they rebounded, Memphis allowed New Orleans to collect 52 in total (11 on the offensive glass).

Desmond Bane ended up being important for the Grizzlies for this game. Bane tallied 31 points in his 36 mins of playing time and had 5 dimes in this contest. He made 11 out of 22 for this game for a rate of 50.0%, and totaled 5 rebounds.

Memphis had a win-loss record of 51-31 last year. When it comes to offense, the Grizzlies shot 47.5% from the floor, which ranked 16th in basketball. Memphis earned 9,587 points last season (116.9 per contest) and they pulled down 46.6 rebounds per game. They dished out assists 26.0 times per contest (9th in the NBA) and they turned it over 13.6 times per contest. The Grizzlies committed 20.0 fouls every game and they shot 73.3% from the charity stripe.

The Memphis defense surrendered 35.5% on shots from behind the 3-point line (1,065 of 2,998) and their opponents knocked down 78.7% of their foul shots. They give up 26.4 dimes and 44.4 total boards per game, which is ranked 27th and 21st in basketball. The Grizzlies on defense were ranked 11th in basketball in PPG allowed with 113.0. They forced 15.1 TO’s every game and let teams shoot 45.3% from the floor (1st in the NBA).

The Pick: Memphis Grizzlies (+6)

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings

• Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
• Location: Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA
• TV: NBC Sports California

The Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA is set to host an NBA clash between the Sacramento Kings (48-34 last year) and the Golden State Warriors (44-38 last season) on Friday.

The Warriors recently suffered a 108-104 defeat against the Suns. They registered 23 fouls and made 11 out of 33 three-pointers in the game. Their opponent, Phoenix shot 76.5% from the free-throw line, with a total of 60 rebounds and 23 assists. Golden State allowed the Suns to shoot 44.2% from the field and forced 19 turnovers while making 11 steals. The Warriors shot 35.6% from the field and made 10 out of 43 three-point attempts.

Stephen Curry had a notable performance, scoring 27 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and contributing 1 assist in 31 minutes of play.

Last season, the Golden State Warriors finished with a 44-38 record. They averaged 118.9 points per game, shooting 47.9% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. Golden State ranked first in passing, with 2,446 assists, and pulled in an average of 44.6 rebounds per game. However, they committed 16.3 turnovers and 21.4 personal fouls per game.

Defensively, the Warriors forced 14.3 turnovers and 18.4 fouls per game, making them the 17th best team in these categories. They allowed their opponents to shoot 46.9% from the field and scored an average of 117.1 points per game. Rebounding-wise, Golden State averaged 43.3 boards per game.

The Kings secured a 130-114 victory over the Jazz in their last game. They recorded 45 rebounds, 6 steals, and forced 11 turnovers. From the free-throw line, Sacramento made 17 of their 20 attempts (85.0%). They shot 37.3% from three-point range and 46.1% from the field overall. The Kings allowed the Jazz to shoot 45.1% from the field and pull in 54 rebounds.

Harrison Barnes had an outstanding performance in the game, scoring 33 points with a 68.8% field goal percentage and 4 rebounds.

Last season, the Sacramento Kings finished with a 48-34 record. They shot 49.4% from the field, scoring an average of 120.7 points per game. The Kings ranked third in assists, with 27.3 per game, and committed 13.5 turnovers. On defense, they allowed their opponents to shoot 49.2% from the field and scored an average of 118.1 points per game.

The Pick: Golden State Warriors+2.5

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs

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Los Angeles Clippers vs Utah Jazz

• Date: Friday, October 27, 2023
• Location: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT
• TV: KJZZ

Delta Center is the site where the Utah Jazz (37-45 last year) will compete against the Los Angeles Clippers (44-38 last season) on Friday.

The Clippers played the Trail Blazers and walked away with a win by a score of 123-111 in their last game. Los Angeles wrapped up the contest having earned a 52.2% field goal percentage (47 of 90) and converted 16 out of their 34 shots from 3-point land. From the free throw line, the Clippers made 13 of 16 shots for a rate of 81.3%. In relation to rebounding, they collected 45 with 14 of them being offensive. They also doled out 36 assists in this matchup as well as forcing the other team into 17 turnovers and getting 11 steals. Pertaining to defense, Los Angeles allowed 47.3% from the field on 44 of 93 shooting. Portland recorded 20 assists and had 10 steals in the game. On top of that, Portland grabbed 40 rebounds (15 offensive, 25 defensive) and earned 7 blocked shots. Portland ended up shooting 76.5% at the charity stripe by burying 13 of 17 tries. They also converted 10 of 32 tries from long range. In relation to fouls, the Clippers left the arena with 20 and the Trail Blazers recorded 20 fouls.

Paul George is one guy who came through for this contest. George shot 64.7% from the field and also distributed 6 assists. He saw the court for 32 minutes and also collected 3 boards. He recorded 27 points on 11 of 17 shooting.

Los Angeles comes into this one after finishing with a mark of 44-38 last season. They turned it over 14.2 times per game and as a unit committed 19.5 personal fouls every game. As a group, Los Angeles collected 43.2 boards per contest and sat with 1,959 assists last season, which ranked 24th in the NBA in terms of passing the ball. The Clippers hit on 38.1% on shots from 3-point land (1,041 of 2,735) and 78.1% from the charity stripe. They had an average of 113.6 points per outing (18th in the league) while connecting on 47.7% from the floor.

On the defensive end of the court, the Clippers were able to force their opponents into 13.0 turnovers per game and they drew 19.6 fouls. They were 11th in basketball in giving up assists with 2,048 conceded last season. The Clippers defensively gave up an opponent shooting percentage of 47.4% (3,430 of 7,243) and they relinquished 43.1 boards per game as a unit. They gave up 36.5% on 3-point shots and they were 12th in the NBA in opponents points per game (113.1).

When they last played, the Jazz took a defeat with a final score of 130-114 when they played the Kings. The Jazz collected 38 defensive boards and 16 offensive boards for a total of 54 for the contest. They gave up possession of the ball 14 times, while earning 6 steals for the matchup. The Kings had 25 fouls in this game which took the Jazz to the free throw line for 31 shots. They were able to convert 23 of them for a percentage of 74.2%. Regarding shooting from distance, Utah converted 9 of their 28 attempts (32.1%). At the conclusion of this game, the Jazz shot 41 out of 91 from the field which gave them a percentage of 45.1%. The Jazz permitted the Kings to knock down 47 out of 102 attempts from the field which left them with a rate of 46.1% in the game. They shot 37.3% from three-point range by connecting on 19 of 51 and ended up shooting 17 out of 20 at the free throw line (85.0%). When discussing how they attacked the glass, Utah permitted Sacramento to grab 45 in all (15 on the offensive glass).

Jordan Clarkson was important for the Jazz in this matchup. Clarkson earned 24 points in his 31 mins on the court and had 6 assists for the game. He converted 8 of 16 for the game for a field goal rate of 50.0%, and had 4 rebounds.

Utah had a win-loss record of 37-45 last year. On the offensive side of the court, the Jazz shot 47.3% from the floor, which ranked them 18th in the league. Utah had 9,600 points last season (117.1 per game) and they grabbed 45.9 boards per game. They earned an assist 26.0 times per game (10th in the league) and they lost possession by turning the ball over 15.4 times per game. The Jazz were responsible for committing 20.5 fouls every game and they connected on 78.6% from the free throw line.

The Utah defense gave up 36.1% on 3-point attempts (1,023 of 2,830) and their opponents made 77.6% of their shots from the free throw line. They have allowed 25.0 dimes and 43.5 boards per contest, which is ranked 10th and 17th in the league. The Jazz were ranked 24th in the league in points per game surrendered with 118.0. They forced their opponents into 12.6 turnovers per game and allowed teams to shoot 47.3% from the floor (15th in basketball).

The Pick: Los Angeles Clippers -4

Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook (USA), Bodog Sportsbook (Canada)

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