NBA Betting Picks for Wednesday 1/24/24: Should You Roll With the Pistons?

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

Charlotte Hornets at Detroit Pistons

Pistons -3.5 (-112)

The Detroit Pistons have been a laughingstock with the league’s worst record at 4-39. It's tough to take Detroit's side in any bet, especially with their 1-9 record of the last 10 games. However, the Pistons are finally showing a glimmer of hope after covering five straight games against the spread (ATS).

With Detroit’s improved play, they could be poised for another cover tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. Laying 3.5 points on the worst team in the NBA may initially seem like a fool’s errand, but the support is there. Let’s dig into the stats.

The Pistons’ offense has made big strides over the last four games, averaging 123.5 points per game (PPG) while shooting 51.1% from the field. They’ve benefited from facing weak defenses, such as the Milwaukee Bucks (10th-worst defensive rating) and the Washington Wizards (3rd-worst defensive rating). However, Detroit managed to post 117 points with a 51.7% field goal percentage (FG%) on January 17th against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have the league’s top defensive rating.

Tonight’s opponent -- the Hornets -- has the worst defensive rating in the Association. The Pistons could be worth backing just for the offense’s favorable matchup. Their guard play has been exceptional during the hot streak. Alec Burks (12.6 PPG) is averaging 21.4 PPG over his last five while Jaden Ivey (14.4 PPG) has totaled 21.8 PPG during the same stretch.

Plus, Cade Cunningham is expected to return for Detroit.

On top of all that, Charlotte’s defensive backcourt has been like a horror movie (and not in a positive way) with LaMelo Ball (118.8 defensive rating), Brandon Miller (121.0 defensive rating), and Bryce McGowens (123.0 defensive rating) carrying woeful defensive ratings. To make matters worse, Cody Martin is questionable for tonight with a knee injury, and he carries the second-best defensive rating on the team at 116.8.

Of course, the Hornets also traded a major player in Terry Rozier as he was shipped to the Miami Heat on Tuesday. One of Charlotte’s acquisitions -- Kyle Lowry -- is not expected to play anytime soon. Plus, Gordon Hayward (14.5 PPG) and Charlotte’s top defender, Mark Williams (115.7 defensive rating), will be absent on Wednesday due to injuries.

I like Detroit to cover their sixth consecutive game. The Hornets’ defense has been bad enough, and with key defenders potentially out, they could struggle to guard the Pistons’ rolling backcourt.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks

Cavaliers +6.5 (-108)

Identifying the league's hottest teams can be one way to excel in the world of NBA betting. No team encompasses this like the Cleveland Cavaliers right now. In fact, the Cavs are carrying a league-best eight-game winning streak and will take on the Eastern Conference's second-best team in the Milwaukee Bucks (30-13) on Wednesday.

Cleveland is listed as a notable 6.5-point underdog. Following five straight covers ATS, the Cavaliers seem like a good pick once again.

Before diving into the matchup, we can't ignore the elephant in the room. The Bucks fired coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday, which was quickly followed by the addition of Doc Rivers. Keep in mind that Milwaukee currently touts the second-best record in the Association; making a mid-season coaching change is very unusual. With Rivers just joining the franchise on Tuesday, there's a chance that he will not be with the team for Wednesday's game. It's reasonable to expect this coaching change to potentially impact the Bucks' play.

Most importantly, Cleveland matches up well with the Bucks, pointing to a Cavs cover. First off, the Cavs just dismantled Milwaukee, 135-95, on January 17th led by a 59.1 FG% and Georges Niang's 33-point outing. The Bucks' weak defense (10th-worst rating) has been an issue all season, which was likely one of the main reasons for Griffin's dismissal.

The Cavaliers have turned up their scoring production over their last three games, putting up 125.7 PPG while carrying a 55.4 FG% and 44.0% three-point percentage. After shooting 42.9% from three in the previous head-to-head meeting, Cleveland could stay hot from deep. Sam Merrill (8.8 PPG) is one player to watch who could yield success for FanDuel's 50% Profit Boost on any live wager for NBA games taking place tonight. Merrill has been like a flamethrower from deep, splashing in 19 of 39 three-point shots (48.7%) over his past four contests.

The Bucks also give up the 6th-most points in the paint per game while the Cavs total the 12th-most points in the paint. This could mean success for Jarrett Allen (14.8 PPG), who takes 88.0% of his field goals within nine feet of the basket while shooting 68.6%.

Cleveland also has the defensive chops to slow down Milwaukee's elite offense (second-best rating). The Cavaliers have the third-best defensive rating and have held opponents to only 95.0 PPG in their previous four contests. The perimeter defense has also been exceptional, giving up the eighth-fewest three-point shots per game, which could be key for tonight with the Bucks attempting the eighth-most threes each contest.

The Cavs could also stand a chance in defending Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.2 PPG) as Dean Wade (107.8 defensive rating) and Allen (111.8 defensive rating) carry impressive defensive ratings.

Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks

Suns -2.5 (-110)

The Phoenix Suns are also red-hot, boasting the second-best winning streak in the league with six consecutive wins. They have a pretty favorable matchup tonight against the Dallas Mavericks, who are 1-3 both outright and ATS over their previous four.

Jumping on this 2.5-point spread now could be wise as it could balloon with Dallas' Luka Doncic (33.6 PPG) and Kyrie Irving (25.2 PPG) questionable for Wednesday's game. Of course, both players are major pieces, with Doncic leading the team in usage rate (37.0%) and Kyrie ranking second in that category (29.7%).

Whether or not Luka and/or Kyrie play, I like Phoenix's chances on the road. The offense has led the way with 121.3 PPG during the winning streak while shooting 52.7% from the field. The Mavs have the 11th-worst defensive rating, the 11th-worst mark in opponent effective field goal percentage (eFG%), the 6th-worst opponent two-point percentage, and give up the 9th-most three-point shots per contest.

The Suns have been one of the NBA's most efficient offenses over the last couple of weeks. Their three-point shooting could cause trouble for Dallas as the Suns own the ninth-best three-point percentage.

Phoenix's big three is also rolling as Kevin Durant (29.6 PPG) is averaging 41.5 PPG over his last two, Devin Booker (26.7 PPG) put up 52 points on January 19th, and Bradley Beal (18.0 PPG) has totaled 21.5 PPG in his previous two outings. Dallas could lack the defenders to slow the trio. For example, Derrick Jones Jr. (117.7 defensive rating) or Josh Green (117.8 defensive rating) could be tasked with guarding KD.

Ultimately, I expect the Suns' offense to win the day, leading to a cover.

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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.