Friday night delivers a full menu across the NHL and NBA, with a slate that offers no shortage of betting angles heading into the weekend. From playoff-level intensity in the NHL to headline games in the NBA, tonight sets the tone for a sports-packed weekend. Here are tonight’s best bets brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.
First Pick: Stars Moneyline
Rundown: The Anaheim Ducks (20-12-2) welcome the Dallas Stars (23-7-5) to the Honda Center for a marquee matchup between two teams firmly in the playoff picture in the Western Conference.
Anaheim returns home from a five-game road trip, one in which they walked away with just two victories. Despite dropping three of its last four, Anaheim remains tied with Vegas for first place in the pacific division with 42 points on the season. In their win over the New York Rangers on Monday, left winger Cutter Gauthier notched two goals in a 4-1 win, giving the 21-year-old a team high 18 goals in 34 games. Anaheim’s offense has driven its success, ranking second in the NHL at 3.44 goals per game, behind only a Colorado team that has lost just twice in regulation this season.
Meanwhile, Dallas has established itself as one of the league’s most complete teams, a balance that has led to 10 wins in its last 13 contests. The Stars come to Southern California ranking inside the top five in a plethora of categories, such as goals per game (4th), goals allowed per game (5th) and save percentage (4th). They have been the efficient team while on the advantage, owning the NHL’s No. 1 power-play conversion rate (32.1%). Mikko Rantanen has produced at a high level, ranking fifth in the NHL with 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists). Expect Dallas’ defense to limit scoring opportunities and capitalize on the offensive end, leading to a road victory in Anaheim.
Second Pick: Heat +6.5
Rundown: The Miami Heat (15-12) visit TD Garden for a matchup with the Boston Celtics (15-11) as both teams look to establish themselves as Eastern Conference contenders.
Miami snapped a five-game skid Thursday night with an 11-point victory in Brooklyn while Boston enters looking to rebound after consecutive losses to Milwaukee and Detroit.
This matchup features two top units in the NBA. Boston’s defense, second in the league at 110.8 points allowed per game, will be tested by a Miami offense that ranks fifth, averaging 120.2 points per contest.
Boston has delivered against the spread this year, covering eight of its last 10 games and posting a 14-12 ATS record overall. The driving force on the offensive end for Boston has been Jaylen Brown, who has stepped up in Jayson Tatum’s absence and averaged 29.3 points through 25 games this season. The key for Boston will be generating quality shots against Miami’s 18th- ranked defense, which has allowed an average of 116.9 points through the first 27 games of the season. That trend is noteworthy, as Boston is 11-1 against the spread when it scores more than that mark.
On the other hand, Miami has also proven to be reliable against the spread, covering in 15 of its 27 contests (55.5%). When listed as an underdog of 6.5 points or more, Miami has covered in three of five games. The offense has run through first-year Miami Heat Norman Powell, who has posted a career-high 24.4 PPG in 22 games this season. The 11-year veteran’s offensive output helped Miami get off to a hot 13-6 start to the season.
Look for Miami’s offense to build off Thursday’s win and create issues for Boston’s top-rated defense, resulting in a game that stays tight into the final minutes.