Kevin Durant has as seen his share of ups and downs in the NBA. He was one of the last players to join the Seattle SuperSonics, only to see Clay Bennett swoop in, buy the team and drag it away from one the premier cities on the West Coast to Oklahoma City. Durant led the Thunder to a Western Conference Final appearance in 2011, but the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Thunder, precipitating a trade of James Harden when he was still under contract for another year, sending the team into a decade of futility. KD ended up winning a title in Golden State but tore an Achilles tendon, leading to extensive rehab. Now in Brooklyn, Durant has dealt with the mind games that Kyrie Irving brings with him and another ride with James Harden. Finally, though, the Nets are playing like a superteam. Can they keep it up? Check out our NBA betting picks for Friday night in the Association.
NBA News: Top Betting Picks for the Weekend
→ Friday, January 6
Brooklyn Nets (-4.5) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U 231.5)
(7:30 pm ET)
Brooklyn (25-13) looks to avenge a 130-108 home loss to New Orleans earlier this season – as well as to bounce back from a 121-112 loss to Chicago in their last game. Their defense struggled in that game, permitting a 53.1% shooting percentage by the Bulls. Offense has not been a problem as the Nets lead the league in shooting percentage on the season (51.4%) and are 12th in points per game (115.1). KD has made 56.8% of his shots so far this season, averaging 29.9 points per game. Their three-point shooting (39.1%) is second-best in the NBA. Their defense ranks eighth, as they permit just 111.1 points per game, but only five teams allow a higher three-point shooting percentage by their opponents (36.5%). Their rebounding ranks 29th (40.4 per game).
New Orleans (24-14) rolled over Houston, 119-108, in their last game, and they remain a half-game behind Denver atop the Western Conference standings. They are third in the NBA in points per game (117.5), thanks in large part to the 26 points per game that Zion Williamson contributes. His right hamstring injury has him on the shelf, though, and Brandon Ingram is also out, which puts more of a scoring burden on CJ McCollum. New Orleans shoots 36.8% from behind the arc (11th overall), and they will need to knock down some three-balls to keep up. The Pelicans have an adjusted defensive rating of 110.8, which is the fourth-worst, but their rebounding ranks sixth overall (45.4 per game). Without Zion, though, this will be a hard slog. Nets to win and cover.
Cleveland Cavaliers (+6.5) at Denver Nuggets (O/U 221.5)
(9:00 pm ET)
Cleveland (25-14) has put up an 18-4 mark at home but has been much less consistent on the road (7-10). They won three in a row to wrap up a homestand but now head to the thin air of Denver to face the Nuggets. Against Phoenix in their last game, the Cavaliers had a hard time finding their offense for much of the game but found a way to come back late and swipe a 90-88 victory. Donovan Mitchell, who had put up 71 two nights before, ended up with 20 – but also had the key assist to Evan Mobley for a wide-open 14-footer with four seconds remaining in regulation. That was just Mobley’s second make in nine attempts, but it came at just the right time. The Cavs lead the league in scoring defense, but their offense can be inconsistent. We will see if they can pull off more heroics in the Mile High City.
Denver (25-13) is getting its wings back from injury, giving Nikola Jokic some help on the scoring end. The Nuggets had won two in a row before losing in Minnesota, 124-111. Jokic had 24 points, nine assists and seven boards, and Jamal Murray added 14 as he continues to improve after returning from a significant knee injury. Denver was also fatigued after beating Boston on the front end of a back-to-back, and they showed resilience in their last game, blowing the Clippers out at home, 122-91, in their last game. Denver to win and cover.
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