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NBA Betting Picks for Friday 3/15/24: Will the Suns Ignite Against the Hornets?

Riley Thomas
Riley Thomas•_riley8

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NBA Betting Picks for Friday 3/15/24: Will the Suns Ignite Against the Hornets?

The 82-game NBA regular season offers us a wide variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and totals. The Association features 1,230 regular season games, which can make sifting through the odds an overwhelming task.

However, various advanced statistics can help narrow the choices. numberFire's NBA power rankings and daily projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to winning big.

While utilizing some of the mentioned tools, which NBA odds from FanDuel Sportsbook look like the best bets today?

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

NBA Best Bets

Phoenix Suns at Charlotte Hornets

Suns -10 (-112)

The Phoenix Suns have struggled against the spread (ATS) over their last 10 games, going 2-8 ATS. However, they have a favorable matchup tonight against one of the league's worst teams -- the Charlotte Hornets. According to numberFire's nERD-based power rankings, Charlotte ranks as the worst team in the Association.

Phoenix has much bigger fish to fry with the fourth-shortest odds to win the Western Conference (+950), per FanDuel's NBA conference odds. The lineup is also healthy tonight as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are all expected to go. The Hornets' injury report is in a much more dire situation as LaMelo Ball -- who leads the team with 23.9 points per game (PPG) and a 32.7% usage rate -- and Mark Williams will be absent.

The Suns' recent ATS record is certainly a worry, but I won't overthink this one. The Hornets have been simply dreadful, and a handful of advantages should lead to a dominant win for Phoenix.

For example, the Suns take 63.0% of their shots from two (ninth-highest), and Charlotte gives up the eighth-most points in the paint and carries the third-worst mark in opponent two-point percentage. The Hornets are among the top half with 61.9% of their shots taking place from two, but Phoenix touts the sixth-best mark in opponent two-point percentage.

An advantage within the three-point arc is one of several potential advantages for the Suns in tonight's matchup.

Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors

Under 217 (-110)

The Orlando Magic have ripped off six wins over their previous eight contests and are looking to stay hot on Friday against the Toronto Raptors, who are on a five-game losing streak. Per usual, Orlando could look to control the pace of this game, making it a slow-paced contest led by strong defense.

Over the previous three games, the Magic have logged only 95.0 PPG while holding opponents to 105.0 PPG. The under is 8-2 during Orlando's last 10 games. I like this trend to continue.

First off, the Magic have the fourth-best defensive rating and play at the fifth-slowest pace. They attempt the fewest shots per game while giving up the fewest field goals each contest. Orlando's style is quite clear: make opposing teams miserable with a snail-like pace.

I have a hard time seeing Toronto being able to push the pace and get this game to the over. The Raptors have the 9th-worst defensive rebounding percentage and and 15th-worst offensive rebounding percentage. The Magic have the ability to dominate the boards, boasting the second-best defensive rebounding percentage and sixth-best offensive rebounding percentage.

Orlando gives up the 11th-fewest points in the paint, and only one opponent over the previous 10 games has surpassed 50 points in the paint. This could cause plenty of issues for Toronto, who averages the fourth-most points in the paint while 63.1% of their shots are two-pointers (seventh-highest).

The Magic should have the ability to make this another slow-paced game, and the paint defense could spell trouble for the Raptors' point total. Give me the under.


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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

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