NBA Friday Betting Preview: Exciting Teams Tangle With Western Conference Contenders

Between Thursday night football (sorry, Ravens bettors) and football-filled days on Saturday and Sunday, we have a packed NBA schedule to look forward to tonight. It’s a veritable NBA betting feast, as there are 11 games to choose from tonight.

Quantity isn’t what it’s all about either. It’s one of those nights that makes NBA League Pass handy, just like Wednesday nights. Let’s take a look at tonight’s NBA schedule before we break down the matchups that jump out the most.

NBA Schedule for Friday, November 12

New York Knicks (7-5) vs Charlotte Hornets (6-7), Bally Sports Southeast, 7:00 p.m. ET

Milwaukee Bucks (6-6) vs Boston Celtics (5-6), ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET

Detroit Pistons (2-8) vs Cleveland Cavaliers (7-5), Bally Sports Ohio, 7:30 p.m. ET

Portland Trail Blazers (5-7 vs Houston Rockets (1-10), AT&T SportsNet Southwest, 8:00 p.m. ET

Phoenix Suns (7-3) vs Memphis Grizzlies (6-5), Bally Sports Southeast, 8:00 p.m. ET

Brooklyn Nets (8-4) vs New Orleans Pelicans (1-11), Bally Sports New Orleans, 8:00 p.m. ET

Sacramento Kings (5-7) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (4-6), Bally Sports Oklahoma, 8:00 p.m. ET

Dallas Mavericks (7-4) vs San Antonio Spurs (4-7), Bally Sports Southwest, 8:30 p.m. ET

Atlanta Hawks (4-8) vs Denver Nuggets (7-4), Altitude, 9:00 p.m. ET

Chicago Bulls (8-3) vs Golden State Warriors (10-1), ESPN, 10:00 p.m. ET

Minnesota Timberwolves (3-7) vs Los Angeles Lakers (7-5), AT&T SportsNet Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. ET

Grizzlies, Bulls Look to Topple Top Teams

Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies NBA Betting Odds and Picks

Suns vs Grizzlies Odds

• Spread: Phoenix Suns -2 (-106), Memphis Grizzlies +2 (-114)
• Total: OVER 222.5 (-110), UNDER 222.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Phoenix Suns -130, Memphis Grizzlies +110

Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies NBA betting odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Friday, November 12, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. ET. To compare NBA betting odds from several top online sportsbooks, check out our NBA odds.

Suns vs Grizzlies Picks

• Spread (at -/+2): 29% Phoenix Suns -2, 71% Memphis Grizzlies +2
• Total (at O/U 222.5): 43% OVER 222.5, 57% UNDER 222.5
• Moneyline: 71% Phoenix Suns, 29% Memphis Grizzlies

Check out our Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies NBA betting picks, betting stats, and other Suns vs Grizzlies matchup info here: Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More

Betting News aggregates our NBA betting picks from trusted sports betting industry sources. Along with NBA picks for every NBA matchup, we also offer MLB picks, NFL picks, and NHL picks.

Suns vs Grizzlies Preview

After reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Suns are off to a solid start this season. It didn’t start out that way, as they lost three of their first four games, including a 29-point loss in Portland and a home loss to the Sacramento Kings.

But they have gotten it in gear and come into tonight’s contest with six straight wins, including revenge wins over the Blazers and Kings this week. Frank Kaminsky, of all people, led Wednesday’s win over the Blazers with a career-high 31 points. But the player prop to look out for tonight is over 9.5 assists for Chris Paul. Paul is averaging 10.9 assists per game thus far, and he has hit double digits in dimes seven times in 10 games.

Present vs Future (Or Present vs Present) as Prolific Paul Duels With Magnificent Morant

Elite athletes are highly competitive and find all sorts of things to feed off of on any given night, and that could be the case tonight for Paul as he faces off against Ja Morant. Morant is the favorite for NBA Most Improved Player of the Year–today’s NBA betting odds at BetOnline Sportsbook have Morant as a +260 favorite ahead of Miles Bridges of the Hornets (+440), Dejounte Murray of the Spurs (+1200), Heat guard Tyler Herro (+1600), and highlight-maker and walking quote Anthony Edwards (+1900).

Translating his occasional outbursts as a scorer into more consistency in that area is the leap that Morant needed to make for himself and the Grizzlies, and last year’s postseason was where the switch seems to have flipped. Through 11 games this season, Morant is averaging 26.5 points per game. He has hit the 30-point mark five times already, including his last two games against Bridges and the Hornets and Edwards and the T’Wolves. And it hasn’t come at the expense of his ability to create, as he is averaging 7.3 assists per game as well.

Ja Morant Player Props vs Phoenix Suns

• Points: OVER 25.5 (-102), UNDER 25.5 (-120)
• To Score 30+ Points: +220
• Points + Assists: OVER 32.5 (-104), UNDER 32.5 (-122)
• Points + Rebounds: OVER 30.5 (-111), UNDER 30.5 (-115)
• The Trio (Points + Rebounds + Assists): OVER 37.5 (-113), UNDER 37.5 (-113)

Given the way these two teams line up, a high-scoring game (well, relative to the numbers across the league so far) should be the expectation. The Suns are fourth in the NBA in scoring (111 points per game) and 21st in points allowed (109.2 points per game). The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are 11th in scoring (109.7 points per game) and 29th in points allowed (114.2 points per game)

Suns vs Grizzlies Best Bet: OVER 222.5

Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors NBA Betting Odds and Picks

Bulls vs Warriors Odds

• Spread: Chicago Bulls +5.5 (-114), Golden State Warriors -5.5 (-106)
• Total: OVER 223 (-108), UNDER 223 (-112)
• Moneyline: Chicago Bulls +190, Golden State Warriors -230

Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors NBA betting odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Friday, November 12, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. ET. To compare NBA betting odds from several top online sportsbooks, check out our NBA odds.

Bulls vs Warriors Picks

• Spread (at +/-5.5): 57% Chicago Bulls +5.5, 43% Golden State Warriors -5.5
• Total (at O/U 222.5): 29% OVER 222.5, 71% UNDER 222.5
• Moneyline: 14% Chicago Bulls, 86% Golden State Warriors

Check out our Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors NBA betting picks, betting stats, and other Bulls vs Warriors matchup info here: Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More

Betting News aggregates our NBA betting picks from trusted sports betting industry sources. Along with NBA picks for every NBA matchup, we also offer MLB picks, NFL picks, and NHL picks.

Bulls vs Warriors Preview

Both of these teams are off to great starts despite not being at full strength. The Warriors have the best record in the NBA and are fourth behind the Nets, Lakers, and Bucks in the odds to win the NBA Finals. And this is without Klay Thompson, who may make his long-awaited return in December.

Coby White won’t turn the Bulls into a title contender, but his imminent return will only further aid their hopes of making noise in the Eastern Conference. There were questions about whether the Bulls’ offseason moves would boost the Bulls, but those questions have been answered in the affirmative so far.

At the very least, these guys are not going to be boring.

CARUSO STEAL.
LONZO FULL-COURT LASER.
LAVINE 360.

SHOWTIME IN CHICAGO ??? pic.twitter.com/C8ViDSoMXG

— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2021

Bulls Shorthanded With Big Man Vucevic Out Due to COVID

Tonight and for the next few games, the Bulls will be without center Nikola Vucevic, who went into the league’s health and safety protocols yesterday. That is an untimely blow, as tonight’s game opens a five-game road trip that sees the Bulls face the Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Jazz, and Nuggets. Vucevic’s scoring is down, as he is shooting only 39.5 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from three, but he was averaging 10.9 rebounds per game and 4.3 assists per game.

The Warriors lead the NBA in scoring (115.9 points per game) and point differential (13.6) and are second in points allowed (102.6). Not having one of their top players tonight will hurt Chicago, but they also won’t be intimidated. The Bulls already have wins over the Jazz and Nets and battled well in two losses to the 76ers.

That said, no Vucevic means that the Bulls will be without their leading rebounder (by a large margin, at that–DeMar DeRozan is second at 5.8 rebounds per game) against one of the league’s top rebounding teams. Look for that to have an impact on tonight’s outcome as the Warriors look to extend their win streak to seven.

Bulls vs Warriors Best Bet: Warriors -5.5