PISTONS 125, 76ERS 112
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Pistons, odds 2.91
Line: Pistons (+5.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Over (224), odds 1.929
Pre-game Prediction
76ers, 56.7%
Pistons, 43.3%
We had two tips on this game, tipping the Sixers, a losing bet thanks to Malik Beasley's career high 36 pointer, and a winning bet on Tyrese Maxey missing his 28.5 points target
DETROIT (AP) — Malik Beasley scored a career-high 36 points and Detroit Pistons built a 34-point lead and beat the Philadelphia 76ers 125-112 on Friday night.
Tobias Harris added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who led 78-49 at halftime. Ausar Thompson had 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Jalen Duren finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists despite battling foul trouble.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 27 points and seven assists. His streak of 16 games with at least 28 points was snapped. Joel Embiid, playing for just the second time since Jan. 4, scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half.
After the 76ers cut the deficit to 11 points with under five minutes left, Beasley hit two 3-pointers to help Detroit hold on. His previous career high was 35 against Houston on Feb. 1, 2019.
Detroit Pistons v Philadelphia 76ers free tips and best bets
THUNDER 121, RAPTORS 109
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Thunder, odds 1.045 - shortest odds of the season?
Line: Raptors (+18.5), odds 1.924
Total Points: Over (229), odds 1.915
Pre-game Prediction
Raptors, 6.4%
Thunder, 93.6%
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams scored 27 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Toronto Raptors 121-109 on Friday night in Chet Holmgren's return from injury .
Holmgren, the runner-up for rookie of the year last season, played for the first time in three months after recovering from a pelvic fracture. The 7-foot-1 forward had four points, five rebounds and four blocks in 22 minutes.
Aaron Wiggins added 18 points for the NBA-best Thunder (41-9), who won their fourth straight.
Scottie Barnes scored 21 points and Gradey Dick added 17 for the Raptors, who lost their third in a row.
Toronto was short-handed. Scoring leader RJ Barrett was in the concussion protocol. Brandon Ingram, acquired from New Orleans before the trade deadline, was with the team but didn't play.
The Thunder led 58-47 at halftime and maintained control in the third quarter. Midway through the period, Williams was fouled as he drove for a tough layup in traffic. The ball rolled in, and he flexed his arms and shoulders for the crowd. He made the free throw to give the Thunder a 79-64 lead.
Oklahoma City Thunder v Toronto Raptors bets, odds and tips
HAWKS 115, BUCKS 110
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Hawks, odds 2.184
Line: Hawks (-2.5), odds 1.889
Total Points: Under (237.5), odds 1.916
Pre-game Prediction
Bucks, 67.2%
Hawks, 32.8%
ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young had 24 points and seven assists and the Atlanta Hawks overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-110 on Friday night.
Mouhamed Gueye had 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks — all season highs — and Dyson Daniels had 15 points and 10 assists. Atlanta ended a five-game home losing streak and won for only the second time in 11 games overall.
Bobby Portis had 26 points and 15 rebounds for Milwaukee, with All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo missing his third straight game because of tightness in his left calf. Damian Lillard had 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. The Bucks have lost five of six.
Kyle Kuzma, playing first game for the Bucks since being traded from the Wizards, had 12 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. All 12 of his points came in the first half.
Atlanta Hawks v Milwaukee Bucks betting guide and free picks
NETS 102, HEATS 86
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Nets, odds 2.74
Line: Nets (+5.5), odds 1.895
Total Points: Under (210.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Heat, 70.9%
Nets, 29.1%
NEW YORK (AP) — Cam Johnson scored 18 points, D'Angelo Russell had 17 and the Brooklyn Nets limited Miami to nine points in the fourth quarter of its first game since trading Jimmy Butler , beating the Heat 102-86 on Friday night.
Miami shot 2 for 21 (9.5%) in the fourth quarter and was outscored 31-9 after leading by six through three quarters.
The Heat didn't have Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson or Davion Mitchell, the three players they acquired in what became a five-team deal when they sent Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Terry Rozier scored 20 points off the bench for the Heat and Bam Adebayo added 18.
Nic Claxton had 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for Brooklyn.
Ben Simmons wasn't with the Nets as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft and the organization work on a contract buyout.
Brooklyn Nets v Miami Heat best betting, odds and latest picks
HORNETS 117, SPURS 116
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Hornets, odds 4.54 - big odds win!
Line: Hornets (+9.5), odds 1.939
Total Points: Over (231), odds 2.05
Pre-game Prediction
Spurs, 82.3%
Hornets, 17.7%
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Miles Bridges knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner off a wraparound feed from LaMelo Ball with 1.4 seconds left to lift Charlotte to a 117-116 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night and snap a six-game skid for the Hornets.
De’Aaron Fox appeared to respond with a winning 3 at the buzzer, but referees gathered after the play and ruled he did not get the shot off in time.
Bridges finished with 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting and Ball had 24 points and 10 assists for Charlotte after missing the last five games with an ankle injury. Nick Smith Jr added 19 points for the Hornets — his fourth straight game with at least that many — and Moussa Diabate was strong on the offensive glass, finishing with 15 rebounds after taking over as the starting center.
Rookie Stephon Castle finished with a career-high 33 points for the Spurs.
Fox, who tied the game with less than a minute to play and then gave the Spurs the lead with a 20-footer with 7.9 seconds left, had 22 points. Victor Wembanyama had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Charlotte Hornets v San Antonio Spurs bets, latest odds and picks
SUNS 135, JAZZ 127
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Suns, odds 1.344
Line: Suns (-7.5), odds 1.923
Total Points: Over (231.5), odds 1.889
Pre-game Prediction
Jazz, 27.6%
Suns, 72.4%
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored a season-high 47 points, Grayson Allen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime and the short-handed Phoenix Suns rallied to beat the Utah Jazz 135-127 on Friday night.
With 0.9 seconds left in regulation, Allen caught an inbounds pass and hit the 3-pointer from the right wing to tie it at 122. Allen opened the extra period with another 3 and the Suns scored the first eight points of overtime to pull away and snap a three-game losing streak.
John Collins led Utah with 21 points. Lauri Markkanen added 20.
The Suns led 111-98 with 5:31 left in regulation, and the Jazz responded with a 13-0 run to tie it. Utah led 120-116 with 4.7 seconds left, but Allen hit two 3-pointers in the final five seconds for an improbable rally.
Allen finished with 21 points, hitting seven 3-pointers.
The Suns were playing without the injured Kevin Durant (ankle) and Bradley Beal (toe). Two other players — forward Cody Martin and guard Vasa Micic — were unavailable after being acquired from Charlotte on Thursday.
Bol Bol hit a 3-pointer with 8.8 seconds left in the second quarter to push Phoenix into a 55-all tie at halftime. Booker scored 22 points before the break on 8-of-12 shooting.
