NBA Friday Betting Preview: Celtics-Pacers Headlines 8-Game Post-Christmas Slate
Eight NBA games on Friday night. Boston is a huge road favorite in Indiana. Detroit keeps rolling. Here's every angle you need for tonight's action.
By Sharp Money Mike
Christmas is over. The hangover is real. And the NBA has eight games on tap to help you recover your losses or dig the hole deeper.
Friday's slate features Boston traveling to Indiana as massive favorites, Detroit continuing their surprising season in Utah, and a potential shootout between the Bulls and 76ers in Chicago. Let's get into it.
The Full Friday Slate
| Game | Time (ET) | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raptors at Wizards | 7:00 PM | TOR -8.5 | 227.5 |
| Celtics at Pacers | 7:00 PM | BOS -8.5 | 221.5 |
| Hornets at Magic | 7:00 PM | ORL -7 | 210.5 |
| Heat at Hawks | 7:00 PM | ATL -4 | 245.5 |
| Suns at Pelicans | 8:00 PM | PHX -3 | 231 |
| Bucks at Grizzlies | 8:00 PM | MEM -5 | 231.5 |
| Pistons at Jazz | 9:30 PM | DET -9.5 | 225 |
| Clippers at Trail Blazers | 10:00 PM | LAC -5.5 | 219.5 |
The Featured Game: Celtics at Pacers
Line: Boston -8.5 | Total: 221.5 | ML: BOS -350
The Pacers are in freefall. Indiana has lost six straight games and sits at 6-24, which is somehow worse than anyone expected when the season started. They're at home, but that hasn't mattered lately.
Boston is 18-11 and playing like a team that remembers they won the championship last year. The Celtics are the better team by a wide margin, and laying 8.5 points on the road still feels reasonable against a Pacers squad that can't get stops.
The lean: Celtics -8.5. Indiana has no answer for Tatum and Brown.
The Value Play: Pistons at Jazz
Line: Detroit -9.5 | Total: 225 | ML: DET -425
Nobody saw this coming. The Pistons are 24-6 and have the second-best record in basketball. Cade Cunningham is playing like an All-Star. The defense has been suffocating. Detroit is legitimately good.
Utah is 10-19 and going nowhere. They're tanking for draft position while the Pistons are building something special. Nine and a half points is a lot to lay on the road, but Detroit has been covering consistently all season.
The lean: Pistons -9.5. This team doesn't lose to bad opponents.
The Shootout: Heat at Hawks
Line: Atlanta -4 | Total: 245.5 | ML: ATL -170
Want points? This is your game. The total of 245.5 suggests both teams are going to light it up, and neither defense is good enough to slow things down.
Atlanta has lost four straight. Miami has lost three straight. Both teams are desperate for a win and neither can guard anyone. This is the kind of game where the over hits by halftime.
The lean: Over 245.5. Neither team plays defense.
The Trap Game: Suns at Pelicans
Line: Phoenix -3 | Total: 231 | ML: PHX -145
New Orleans has won four straight at home and is quietly 6-1 ATS in their last seven games. The Pelicans are playing motivated basketball despite their 8-23 record.
Phoenix is more talented, but the Suns have been inconsistent all season. Kevin Durant can go off at any moment, but the supporting cast has been unreliable.
The lean: Pelicans +3. New Orleans is undervalued at home.
Quick Hits on the Rest
Raptors at Wizards (-8.5 Toronto): Battle of the tanks. Toronto is less bad. Take the Raptors.
Hornets at Magic (-7 Orlando): Orlando is grinding through injuries but still controls home games. Magic cover.
Bucks at Grizzlies (-5 Memphis): Giannis is still Giannis, but Memphis at home has been a problem for opponents. Lean Grizzlies.
Clippers at Trail Blazers (-5.5 LAC): Portland is tanking. Clippers should handle business.
The Bottom Line
Friday's NBA slate has something for everyone. If you want a safe play, take the Celtics. If you want value, look at the Pelicans. If you want points, hammer the Hawks-Heat over.
Eight games means eight opportunities. Choose wisely.