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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers walks back on to the court after a timeout during a 124-116 win over the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Harry How /Getty Images via AFP.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers walks back on to the court after a timeout during a 124-116 win over the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Harry How /Getty Images via AFP.

Our NBA experts put together their top picks from Friday's 10-game slate.

Our hoops experts select their top against the spread and Over/Under picks for Friday's NBA matchups (odds via DraftKings SportsbookBetMGMPointsBet, and FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Friday's NBA Expert Picks

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SEE ALSO: NBA Betting Notes for Friday

Top NBA Expert ATS Picks

Clippers +4.5 (-115 via BetMGM)

What do we know about the Los Angeles Clippers? Well, they struggle to rebound the ball first and foremost. A team like the Milwaukee Bucks would seem to match up perfectly here and have a clear advantage over L.A., particularly on the second night of a back-to-back.

That's a little complicated now, though, with a list of Bucks out including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez sitting out on the second half of a back-to-back. They are going to be unrecognizable, and with that my hand is forced.

Yes, the Clippers won't have Paul George, Nic Batum, Reggie Jackson, or Marcus Morris. That shouldn't be as worrisome here without Antetokounmpo or any scoring whatsoever on the other end of the floor. While Milwaukee struggles to figure out how to score, I expect the Clippers' unrivaled depth to secure them a cover, and probably a win. They will still have shooting on the floor and at the end of the day that's probably enough against Milwaukee down its Big Three. - Ducey

Lakers ML (+100) and +1.5 (-110 via BetMGM)

It’s no secret that the whole world is currently fading the Los Angeles Lakers. However, it’s worth noting that oddsmakers actually opened L.A. as a small home favorite for tonight’s critical matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. This is a true must-have if the Lakers hope to sneak into the Play-In Tournament.

In the month of March, the Lakers posted an abysmal 4-12 record. This includes having lost each of their last four games coming into Friday’s contest. The most recent defeat came on Thursday in the form of a 13-point road loss to Utah. 

As for the rationale behind backing Los Angeles tonight, look no further than the team’s evolving injury report. Reports suggest that the Lakers are poised to get their top two players back from injury in LeBron James and Anthony Davis for this high-stakes game as far as their postseason hopes are concerned.

Even if only one makes it back, this will be a huge boost for the team’s chances. If worst comes to worst and neither James nor Davis suits up, it's not like the Pelicans are world-beaters either. While the value and confidence of the pick would go down, all would not be lost. Russell Westbrook could still lead the Lakers to a home win in this crucial matchup. - John

Rockets +2.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

Friday's Sacramento Kings-Houston Rockets game is a unique situation in the NBA as the two sides are playing the second half of a back-to-back, with both games in Houston. The Rockets wouldn't have covered this 2.5-point spread in Thursday's affair, falling 121-118 to Sacramento. But it would have been close, as the Rockets have been playing consistently competitive basketball recently.

Houston has gone 2-2 over the past week, with the two losses coming by three points each. The Kings aren't quite as putrid as the Rockets in the standings this season, but they're still handily below .500 and more than capable of laying an egg in this spot. When these two teams matched up twice in three days in Sacramento, the Rockets dropped the first game before storming back to win the second one. I see Houston continuing its recent string of competitive play by doing it again Friday night. - Schaeffer

SEE ALSO: NBA Western Conference Futures

Top NBA Expert O/U Picks

Pelicans-Lakers Over 229.5 (-110 via PointsBet)

The Lakers have seen 57.9% of their games go Over this season, which is the third-best mark in all of basketball. They're also likely getting Davis and LeBron back on Friday, which will further help them score the ball.

On top of that, while the Lakers don't have the fastest offense in the world, this will technically be a pace-up game against a Pelicans team ranked 17th in that department in the last two weeks.

The Lakers have been horrific on defense, allowing 125.3 points per 100 possessions in that two-week frame. While the Pelicans have had a strong defense I'd expect a returning LeBron James would be reason enough to believe L.A. can muster up something for Over bettors. - Ducey

Suns-Grizzlies Under 229.5 (-110 via FanDuel)

Tonight’s matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies could very well serve as a Western Conference Finals preview. That being said, it looks like there will be a major asterisk next to tonight’s game, as Ja Morant remains sidelined with a knee injury. 

All signs point towards several others joining him in street clothes. At the time of writing, four of the Grizzlies’ five current starters are listed as doubtful for tonight’s game. The list includes Tyus Jones (hand), Desmond Bane (ankle), Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh), and Steven Adams (calf). Although the Grizz have as much depth as any team in the league, good luck keeping pace on the scoreboard tonight against the best team in all of basketball. 

While bettors should expect Memphis to struggle offensively, it must also be said that the Grizzlies will need to rely on their defense if they hope to make this a competitive game. With so many players out, one can also anticipate the Grizz operating at a slower pace than usual. The fact that this total has already dipped to 228.5 at most sportsbooks suggests that there is value in this FanDuel line. - John

Timberwolves-Nuggets Under 242.5 (-110 via FanDuel)

The highest total of a busy day in the NBA comes in the Western Conference battle between the Timberwolves and the Nuggets. While both sides are certainly capable of putting together enough scoring runs to exceed this lofty total — and in some cases, they've done so by large margins — they've also had their share of contests that didn't hit the mark.

Only five of Minnesota's 15 games in March cleared this total. For the Nuggets, just four of their 16 March games exceeded the number set for Friday's contest at FanDuel. With two top 10 offenses, sure, it's possible we see an outrageous shootout in the 130s for both sides. But in looking at the recent trends, it just feels like the constant and efficient scoring onslaught it would take to make it happen is a bit of a lofty ask. I'm fading the highest total of the day and going with the Under for this contest.

Denver has had several games in the past month finish with 242 points; make sure you're getting the benefit of the hook at 242.5 by betting this one at FanDuel over DraftKings. - Schaeffer

Where to Bet on NBA Expert Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks for odds boosts:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

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