The NBA regular season is back in full swing with a loaded slate of games on Friday night, with a total of nine matchups on the docket scheduled for today, featuring an excellent nationally televised doubleheader on Amazon Prime Video, as 76ers vs. Bulls takes center stage at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by Clippers vs. Trail Blazers at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified five NBA picks spanning four of tonight's matchups.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Friday, December 26.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions: Friday, December 26
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
| 7 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Hornets vs. Magic
By Joe Dellera
The Magic face off against the Hornets on December 26 and this sets up as an excellent matchup for Desmond Bane.
The Magic’s injury report remains crowded with Jalen Suggs listed as doubtful, while Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze remain questionable, and still no Franz — this opens up more usage for Bane.
This is a fantastic matchup for pull-up shooters and pick-and-roll ball handlers — both roles Bane thrives in.
Bane is great on above the break looks and getting to the rack; two spots where the Hornets struggle.
The Hornets have been thrashed by similar players with guys like Dyson, Hart, Mathurin, and Bridges all crushing their numbers.
Pick: Desmond Bane Over 27.5 Points + Assists (-115)
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Suns vs. Pelicans
By Bet Labs
The NBA system titled "Contrarian Overs, Good Road Teams" in totals betting is built on the idea that strong traveling teams can drive pace and scoring in matchups where the market leans too heavily toward the under.
By focusing on regular season games outside of division play, the system avoids slower rivalry environments and taps into contests that tend to be more open and less physical.
It targets overs specifically when the betting public and money trends show a clear lean toward the under, creating a contrarian opportunity where expectations are suppressed but conditions for scoring remain strong.
The away team must be early enough in its season to still carry energy and identity, and it must also be coming off a decisive win, a signal that its offense and confidence are functioning at a high level.
When these elements align, strong road teams often set the tone, push pace, and elevate scoring beyond market expectations, making the over more attractive precisely when it is being overlooked.
Pick: Over 239.5 (-110)
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Hornets vs. Magic
My spread projections for this game make the line Magic -9.
I typically downgrade a team in their first game back at home after an extended road trip, but that still doesn’t get us down to Magic -6.5 in this spot.
We're getting good value on a Magic team that performs better in front of the home fans.
The Magic are also 5-2 SU against fellow Southeast division teams, as they tend to play bully ball against their division mates.
Pick: Magic -6 (-105)
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Clippers vs. Trail Blazers
Lopez is stepping into more playing time with Ivica Zubac out, but playing with the starters has knocked down his usage rate.
He's posted a 14.4% mark over the past two games, which includes one start and one game with extended playing time after Zubac went down early. He was at 19.4% prior to this stretch.
Lopez is mostly in a spot-up 3-point shooting role. He happened to hit 3-of-6 from deep against the Lakers. He went just 1-for-4 from 3-point range last time out, finishing with five points.
Portland has limited opponents to the 6th-fewest made 3-pointers on the 5th-fewest attempts.
Lopez played 27 minutes against Houston on Tuesday.
The Rockets are the biggest team in the league, so it was an ideal scenario for extended traditional center minutes.
Portland has some size, but I'd still expect the Clippers to lean on a small-ball center lineup about half the time.
Pick: Brook Lopez Under 9.5 Points (-115)
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Pistons vs. Jazz
By Bet Labs
The NBA system titled "First Half 'Dog vs Coasting Teams" focuses on first half moneyline opportunities where strong teams often start slow against inferior opponents.
During the regular season, underdogs with modest Pythagorean ratings face elite opponents with high win records who may be pacing themselves or conserving energy early in games.
These matchups frequently occur when the superior team is in cruise control, relying on second half adjustments rather than urgency in the opening quarters.
Meanwhile, the underdog typically plays with early intensity and effort, creating value in short term situations before talent disparity takes over.
By isolating first halves against top competition, this system leverages motivational imbalance and situational focus to identify profitable early game edges.
Pick: Jazz First Half Moneyline (+350)
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