We’ve reached the final stretch of the NBA season, and things couldn’t get better at this point in the year. The championship contenders are looking to prove that they still got it, all while the pretenders try to join the party as well.
A hot stretch could help a team make the playoffs or, even better, secure homecourt advantage. However, going on a losing streak might not be something they’ll be able to recover from at this point in the season.
Friday’s NBA slate features some must-watch matchups. Considering that, we’re going to dig deep into four of the most exciting contests and share our top selection for every single one of them.
Boston Celtics vs Phoenix Suns
It’s not usual to see the Phoenix Suns not being favored against any rival. That speaks volumes of how good and consistent the Boston Celtics have been, even now that they’ve almost secured the No. 1 seed.
The Celtics will approach this game like a playoff game, and maybe even an NBA Finals preview.
They rested some starters ahead of this matchup, and the Suns have struggled against winning teams.
Pick: Celtics -6
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Chicago Bulls vs Los Angeles Clippers
On paper, the Los Angeles Clippers are the far better team in this matchup, but paper doesn’t always show the whole picture.
The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, and maybe even James Harden due to injuries.
The Bulls are coming off an emotional overtime win and might be without Coby White.
But even though they played a lot of minutes yesterday, the Clippers might not have enough firepower to blow them out or even beat them.
Pick: Bulls +6.5
Milwaukee Bucks vs Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers got Tyrese Maxey back from the concussion protocol, but they’re simply not a competitive team without Joel Embiid, especially not when they have to face another championship contender.
The Milwaukee Bucks will look to get this win for their coach Doc Rivers, who was let go by the Sixers in the offseason.
They’re firing at all cylinders now, and they’ve finally found their stride on the defensive end of the floor.
Pick: Bucks -9
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks
This matchup will feature two MVP candidates in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, who also happen to be two of the leading scorers in the league.
This is going to be a high-flying contest with a lot of points from both sides.
The Thunder should get the win in this one, especially after dropping one at home to the Indiana Pacers.
Then again, considering how much talent the Mavs have in their backcourt, we’re going to lean towards the total here.
Pick: Over 235.5
