NBA Betting Picks for Wednesday 12/27/23: Will the Wizards Expel the Raptors?

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

Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards

Wizards +7 (-110)

Two of the Eastern Conference's bottom four teams meet tonight with the Toronto Raptors visiting the Washington Wizards. It's been tough sledding for both teams with 2-8 records over their previous 10 contests. Who could get back on track in the nation's capital?

The spread has the Raptors favored by seven points, but Toronto is 2-8 against the spread (ATS) in the last 10 games and has lost four consecutive contests ATS on the road. Meanwhile, the Wizards are 5-4-1 ATS over their last 10.

Washington has not been a consistent cover by any means, but 5-4-1 certainly looks far better than 2-8. Do the Wizards have the tools to come up with the cover, though? Let's dig into the matchup.

The Raptors have the NBA's 17th-best defensive rating, and Washington has the 8th-worst offensive rating. However, the Wizards are quite efficient with the 8th-best field goal percentage (FG%) and 10th-best effective field goal percentage (eFG%).

Washington's three-point volume has also increased over their last five games with an average of 14.2 converted threes and 38.2 three-point shots per game. For reference, the Wiz average 12.4 made threes and 34.7 attempted threes on the season. They've also improved their efficiency during the five-game span, shooting 37.2% from deep (35.8% on the season).

Toronto's defense has several weaknesses. First off, they have the 10th-worst marks in opponent FG% and eFG%. The perimeter defense is mediocre with the 15th-best mark in made three-pointers allowed per game (12.9).

The forward tandem of Scottie Barnes (117.3 defensive rating) and Pascal Siakam (115.5 defensive rating) have been shaky on the defensive end, potentially setting up Kyle Kuzma -- who is the Wizards' leading scorer at 22.8 points per game (PPG) -- for a monster outing.

Washington's strength has certainly been on offense, as they total the 10th-most PPG while giving up the most PPG on the defensive end. I like the Wizards' chances of finding success on offense, which could lead to a point spread cover.

Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic

Magic -2 (-106)

The Orlando Magic have a chance to cut into the Philadelphia 76ers' lead in the Eastern Conference standings. At 18-11, the Magic hold the No. 4 seed and are two games behind the Sixers, who have the No. 3 seed.

Philadelphia will be without their MVP contender, Joel Embiid, who is the favorite to win the award at +190 when looking at FanDuel's NBA MVP odds. This will be Embiid's second consecutive absence due to an ankle injury.

This will likely put the scoring load on Tyrese Maxey (25.9 PPG), whose usage rate jumps to 34.0% without Embiid on the floor. Good luck replacing Embiid's 35.0 PPG, though. The offense will certainly lack some firepower without the MVP favorite in the rotation.

Orlando features a strong defense with the fourth-best rating. They give up the 8th-fewest points in the paint per game while Philadelphia relies on attacking the rim with the 10th-most points in the paint per game and 9th-fewest three-point shots per game. Embiid attempts 65.3% of his shots within 14 feet of the basket. With the Magic's solid interior defense and Embiid out, the Sixers' paint attack could lack.

Plus, Orlando has a pair of exceptional backcourt defenders in Jalen Suggs (112.6 defensive rating) and Anthony Black (107.4 defensive rating), which could help slow Philly's Maxey. Black -- the rookie first-rounder -- has seen his playing time increase with 30.5 minutes per game over the previous two contests, and he comes off a career-high 23 points.

The 76ers also feature an elite defense with the league's third-best rating, but the Magic could expose Philly's paint defense. Orlando attempts the second-fewest threes per game and heavily relies on attacking the painted area with the second-most points in the paint per game.

Philadelphia gives up the 14th-most points in the paint per game, and without Embiid in the lineup, the Sixers could be in trouble. Remember, Embiid has made three All-Defensive teams, and he ranks among the top 10 in the Association with 2.1 blocks per game.

The Magic are 7-2 ATS over their last nine home games. This trend could continue with the Sixers looking vulnerable without Embiid.

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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.