NBA Betting Picks for Wednesday 11/8/23: Are Jazz, Pacers Poised for the Over?

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

Utah Jazz at Indiana Pacers

Over 241 (-108)

The Utah Jazz-Indiana Pacers game features the highest total of the night at 241. This high figure could scare some away from the over. However, this matchup could light up the scoreboard with a flurry of points.

First off, both defenses have struggled; the Pacers have the fifth-worst mark in defensive rating while the Jazz have the third-worst rating. Utah's entire starting five has defensive ratings of over 119.5 -- even the shot-blocking specialist Walker Kessler (128.0 rating). Indiana's starting lineup has been decent on the defensive end with all five players holding ratings of under 112.6, led by Obi Toppin's mark of 109.0.

Utah finished 9th in offensive rating in the 2022-23 season, but the unit has not found the same success thus far with the 15th-best unit. Indiana, on the other hand, has been jaw-dropping with a league-best 120.4 offensive rating. This is fueling the Pacers' hopes of appearing in the postseason, which FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA playoffs odds have at +100.

The Jazz's defense could be in major trouble for tonight's collision. It's already been bad (that's putting it nicely), and Kessler is questionable with an elbow injury. Without the squad's top shot blocker who averages 2.1 blocks per game (BPG), Indiana could feast in the paint.

The Pacers average 55.4 points in the paint per game (fifth) and shoot 56.9% on two-pointers (fourth). Plus, Indiana is deadly from deep as they shoot 39.2% on three-pointers (third) while attempting 39.7 shots from beyond the arc per game (sixth). Perimeter defense has been a problem for Utah with opponents averaging 36.5 attempted three-pointers per game (19th).

Perhaps the best bet of the night could be taking the Pacers to surpass their total of 123.5 (-115). When it comes to game lines, the over still looks favorable, though. Indiana could be in store for another offensive explosion after recording 152 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. The Jazz should still find some success on the offensive end -- especially with the Pacers ranking last in opponent points in the paint per game (60.6).

Taking the over for the Pacers' total and the game total could be the building block for a promising same game parlay. The odds can be boosted too with FanDuel's 30% Profit Boost for an NBA Same Game Parlay.

Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls

Suns Moneyline (-104)

Perhaps the most puzzling line of the night is the Chicago Bulls favored by one point against the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix has been disappointing with a 3-4 record, but the Bulls have not been good with a 3-5 record while going 1-3 in their last four games.

When it comes to team ratings, Phoenix has been the better team without a doubt. They rank 14th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. Meanwhile, Chicago is 19th in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating. So why are the Bulls favored?

As usual, the Suns are dealing with injuries. Devin Booker will miss his third consecutive game with a calf injury. This loss hurts with Booker averaging 31.5 points per game (PPG) over two games, and he leads the team with a 120.9 offensive rating. However, Bradley Beal could finally make his debut which should help pick up the slack for Booker's absence.

Beal's status remains questionable (back). He finished second on the Washington Wizards with a 118.2 offensive rating last season.

With or without Beal, I still believe Phoenix has enough to beat the Bulls. Kevin Durant has flourished with 36.0 PPG over his last two games. Chicago's Torrey Craig will likely draw the matchup against Durant; he has a 112.2 defensive rating and stands at 6-foot-5 compared to the 6-foot-11 Durant.

The Suns could also have an advantage on the boards, leading to extra possessions; they are 11th in offensive rebounding percentage while the Bulls rank 26th in defensive rebounding percentage.

If Beal plays, the line will likely swing in Phoenix's favor. Jumping on the Suns moneyline right now could be a wise decision.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Oklahoma City Thunder

Cavaliers -2.5 (-108)

It has not been smooth sailing for the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-4), but following their 115-104 win against the Golden State Warriors, they seem headed in the right direction. Jarrett Allen returned from injury on November 3, and after playing for only 21 minutes in his season opener, Allen saw his playing time jump to 28 minutes in the last game.

How does this relate to tonight's clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder? Allen plays a pivotal role in Cleveland's defense. The Cavs' defensive rating was quite low over the first few games of the season. However, it is steadily rising and is now the 11th-best unit. With Allen back in the fold, it could only be up from here. Allen had the top defensive rating (110.9) among starters in the 2022-23 season.

The Thunder got the best of the Cavaliers on October 27th with a 108-105 win. Cleveland's defense stumbled in the matchup, allowing OKC to shoot 46.0% from the field and 50.0% on three-pointers. The Cavs did a good job of limiting the Thunder's three-point looks, for they attempted only 26 shots. The attempts were simply falling at a high clip for Oklahoma City.

Cleveland ranks seventh with 32.4 opponent three-pointers attempted per game. If they limit OKC's shots from deep once again, I like the Cavaliers' chances -- especially when considering their paint defense.

They boast the top mark in opponent two-point percentage and the sixth-best average for opponent points in the paint per game. Meanwhile, the Thunder total 51.1 points in the paint per game (10th). With Allen back in action, Cleveland's interior defense should be even better.

Ultimately, the Cavs have the defense to reign supreme in this matchup. Oklahoma City barely escaped with a win in the last matchup while shooting at a high clip. With Cleveland's defense rounding into form, the Thunder could be in trouble.

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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.