NBA Betting Picks for Wednesday 1/17/24: Will the Bucks Silence the Cavaliers?

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

Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers

Bucks -4 (-112)

After a slow start to the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are finally hitting their groove with five straight wins while going 4-1 against the spread (ATS). Wednesday's matchup will be a tough test with the Milwaukee Bucks -- the No. 2 seed in the East -- visiting town.

Cleveland has found success on the back of their defense, which is holding opponents to 99.8 points per game (PPG) and a 43.6% field goal percentage (FG%) during the winning streak. The Cavs have also dictated the pace of play, giving up only 87.2 field goal attempts per game. This is pretty much on pace with their season average of 87.3 field goal attempts allowed per contest, which is the seventh-best mark in the Association.

Wednesday could be a shock to Cleveland's system, though. The Bucks are simply a different beast with the NBA's second-best offensive rating while totaling the second-most PPG at 125.0. The Cavaliers' defense has soared to the Association's fifth-best rating. However, it's important to look at Cleveland's recent schedule.

During the winning streak, the Cavs have duked it out with the Chicago Bulls (19-23), Brooklyn Nets (16-23), San Antonio Spurs (7-32), and collided with the Washington Wizards (7-32) twice. Talk about a favorable schedule; this is about as easy as it gets.

Even with Cleveland rounding into form, I like the Bucks to cover the spread on the road. They can take advantage of several of the Cavaliers' weaknesses. For example, Milwaukee attempts the 2nd-most free throws each game, and the Cavs give up the 10th-most free throw attempts per contest.

The list goes on, as Cleveland seems to lack an answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak has totaled 33.3 PPG over his last four games against the Cavaliers. Evan Mobley (109.4 defensive rating) will likely draw the matchup; despite being Cleveland's top defender, Mobley has simply been outmuscled when facing Giannis. Backing Antetokounmpo props looks like a wise bet with FanDuel's 25% Profit Boost for a live wager on any NBA game taking place tonight.

The Bucks have a weak defense with the 12th-worst rating. However, they fare pretty well against the three, giving up the 8th-fewest converted threes per game and the 13th-fewest shots each contest. The defense actually matches up well against the Cavs, who attempt the 12th-most shots from beyond the arc per contest.

Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks

Magic +4 (-112)

Staying in the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic head north to take on the Atlanta Hawks in the Peach State. The NBA standings would suggest the Magic are bound for a win, as they are in 8th place with a 22-18 record compared to the Hawks who are in 11th with their 16-23 record.

However, recent play suggest Orlando could be in trouble. They are 1-3 over the last four contests while going 1-3 ATS. Still, I'm not blinking in backing the Magic on the road. Atlanta has continued to struggle with a 2-4 record over their last six while going 2-4 ATS.

Orlando's biggest challenge will likely be slowing the Hawks' high-flying offense (ninth in rating). While Atlanta averages the 4th-most PPG, the efficiency has lacked with the 10th-worst effective field goal percentage (eFG%). The Hawks have managed to light up scoreboards by playing fast (most field goals attempted per game) and shooting the three (sixth-most shots each contest).

This could be no problem for the Magic, as they give up the fifth-fewest three-point shots in the league, and opponents attempt the fewest shots per game against Orlando thanks to their 14th-slowest pace of play. Fortunately for us, the Magic are not like watching a snail crawl, but their pace could still be slow enough to do the trick. It's still dramatically slower compared to Atlanta's fourth-quickest tempo.

Of course, Orlando will need to control the possession battle to truly dominate the pace of play. The Hawks have done a great job of gathering extra possessions with the third-best offensive rebounding percentage, but the Magic have the second-best defensive rebounding percentage. Plus, Orlando has the 10th-best defensive rebounding percentage. Turnovers could be another area to watch with the Magic forcing the 4th-most each game while Atlanta averages the 13th-most giveaways.

Shifting our focus back to the Magic's defense, the perimeter defense has stepped it up over the last three games with opponents shooting a combined 28.4% from three. All three opponents also ranked within the top 11 in three-point percentage. With Atlanta holding the 15th-worst three-point percentage, Orlando could frustrate yet another team from deep.

Scoring could be a breeze for the Magic, as well. The Hawks have the fourth-worst defensive rating and give up the fourth-most points in the paint per game. This bodes well for Orlando, who totals the eighth-most points in the paint.

I'm counting on a solid game for the Magic's defense, leading to a cover.

Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz

Over 242 (-110)

To round out my NBA picks for Wednesday, I'm targeting a total on the West Coast. The Golden State Warriors against the Utah Jazz could look like a three-point contest with both teams ranking within the top 11 of three-pointers shot per game. Plus, both squads are within the top 11 of PPG.

Defense has been a flaw for Golden State and Utah with each team among the bottom 11 squads in defense rating. Plus, each unit is among the bottom nine in PPG allowed.

At this point, the angle of my pick is probably becoming evident. I'm rolling with the over for the 242 total. The over is 4-1 across the Warriors' previous 5 contests, and the Jazz are averaging 128.0 PPG over the last 10.

Utah's offense should continue to roll after touting a 52.7 FG% in their previous five games. Opponents shoot 47.6% against Golden State (11th-worst for defense), and they average 24.5 free throws (6th-most). The Jazz have also attempted more free throws recently with 37.0 per game in the last two contests. They should have the opportunity for more easy points from the charity stripe.

The Warriors' defense has been dreadful over the previous five contests with opponents posting 130.0 PPG. Plus, four of the last five opponents shot at least 54.0% from the field. There's plenty of reason to expect another big night from Utah's red-hot offense.

Now, let's look at why Golden State's offense could also do its part. Opponents are cashing in 42.4% of their three-pointers over the last five games against the Jazz. Of course, the Warriors always feature a dangerous three-point attack with Stephen Curry (26.7 PPG) and Klay Thompson (17.3 PPG). With Golden State averaging the fourth-most three-pointers attempted and made per game, they could be in store for a big night from deep because Utah gives up the sixth-most three-point shots per contest.

I'm riding the hot hand, as I expect another big game out of the Jazz's offense. Plus, the Warriors should be able to contribute enough from three to help the over hit.

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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.