Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Hornets (Friday, 12am)
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The Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets play their final warm-up game before the 2024-25 NBA regular season tips off when they face off at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday.
While the home side hold a 2-1 record in pre-season, the results have been split down the middle for the Hornets, who have picked up two wins and lost two in their four exhibition matches.
We say: Indiana Pacers to win by 3+ points.
Indiana Pacers have proven solid in offence, but they have struggled at the backcourt, where they have allowed their opponents 110+ points in each of their three exhibition games and rank last in defensive rating among NBA teams in pre-season.
While the Pacers set out in search of a positive result ahead of their season opener against the Detroit Pistons on October 24, they take on a Charlotte Hornets side who will be looking to bounce back after falling to a 111-105 loss against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Rick Carlisle's men have lost each of their last three matches at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but while we expect the Hornets to put up a fight on Friday, we are backing them to snap this run and return to winning ways.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Milwaukee Bucks (Friday, 12:30am)
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The Dallas Mavericks and the Milwaukee Bucks draw the curtains on their NBA pre-season campaign when they go head to head at the American Airlines Center on Friday.
While the Mavs were condemned to a third straight exhibition defeat on Tuesday, a hard-fought 111-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls saw the Bucks take their record to 1-2 as they ramp up preparations for the regular season.
We say: Milwaukee Bucks to win by 7+ points
Klay Thompson's 0-for-9 from the field highlighted Dallas's poor offensive display on Tuesday when they fell 110-96 against the LA Clippers, and head coach Jason Kidd will emphasise on ball security after watching his side commit 29 turnovers at the Intuit Dome.
Having kicked off pre-season with two back-to-back defeats, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard led the Milwaukee Bucks to victory against the Bulls on Tuesday, a result that they will look to build on ahead of the season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 24.
Kyrie Irving missed the game against the Clippers due to rest and could feature on Friday, but with floor general Luka Doncic still recuperating from a calf injury, we see the Mavs struggling against a spirited Bucks side at the American Airlines Center.
Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs (Friday, 1am)
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The Houston Rockets will be looking to make it four straight victories over the San Antonio Spurs when the two sides lock horns in their final warm-up game on Friday before tipping off the 2024-25 NBA regular season.
Jalen Green scored 19 points in 23 minutes to lead the Rockets to a 118-98 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, while Gregg Popovich's side were denied a third win on the bounce as they fell 120-117 against the Miami Heat.
We say: Houston Rockets to win by 3+ points.
The San Antonio Spurs hold a 2-2 record in pre-season, but with both victories coming on home court, the Houston Rockets will be backing themselves to secure a third win on the bounce at the Toyota Center.
Since kicking off proceedings in pre-season with a 122-113 defeat against the Utah Jazz last week, the Rockets have secured two consecutive victories, including an impressive 20-point win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, and we are tipping them to edge out the Spurs in a close contest.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Atlanta Hawks (Friday, 1am)
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The Oklahoma City Thunder (3-1) and the Atlanta Hawks (1-2) are in pre-season action for the last time before kicking off the 2024-25 NBA regular campaign when they face off at the Paycom Center on Friday.
This will be the second meeting between the two sides this year, with Jalen Johnson, Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Dejounte Murray all knocking down 20+ points to inspire the Hawks to a thrilling 141-138 victory back in January.
We say: Oklahoma Thunder to win by 5+ points
There have been lots of positives for the Oklahoma Thunder in pre-season as they look keen to make another deep run in the regular campaign and surpass last season's Playoff Western Conference semi-final finish.
Having kicked off their warm-up fixtures with a 131-130 victory over the Indiana Pacers last Wednesday, the Hawks have suffered defeat in their subsequent two outings, including a 120-111 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, and will be looking to find their feet on Friday.
Off the back of a 30-point road victory over the Nuggets, led by an efficient Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, who shot 6-10 from the field and 50% from 3-point range, OKC will enter Friday's clash with sky-high confidence and we are backing them to hand the Hawks a third defeat on the spin.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets (Friday, 1am)
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The Denver Nuggets will be looking to snap their run of four consecutive losses in pre-season when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in their final warm-up game before kicking off the new regular season campaign on October 25.
This will be the first meeting between the two sides since their clash in the Western Conference semi-finals back in May, when Chris Finch's men stunned the Nuggets to win the series in seven games.
We say: Minnesota Timberwolves to win by 2+ points
The Timberwolves (2-2) led by one point with 20 seconds left on the shot clock against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, but Jevon Carter knocked down a 3-pointer to turn the tie on its head as the Bulls held on to see out their second pre-season victory and hand Minnesota a second straight defeat.
Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook and Jamal Murray were all notable absentees when the Nuggets (0-4) fell to a 30-point blowout against the Oklahoma Thunder on Wednesday, but with the trio expected to return to action here, we expect an improved Denver side to pose a stronger challenge as they look to end pre-season on a positive note.
While Anthony Edwards endured a poor shooting display against the Bulls, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-23 from the field, including 3-16 from beyond the arc, we are tipping him to brush that performance off and lead Minnesota to a hard-fought victory.
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Friday, 3am)
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The Phoenix Suns will wrap up their preparations for the upcoming NBA campaign with a second pre-season clash in the space of 11 days against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday at the Footprint Center.
Both teams are expected to be contenders for this year's Larry O'Brien trophy, and an early chance to put their title credentials on display now awaits in Arizona.
We say: Phoenix Suns to win by 6+ points
With most of their regular starters getting a much-needed rest last time out, the Suns should be the fresher of the two teams coming into this Friday's meeting.
Mike Budenholzer's men will undoubtedly still be buoyed by their triumph over the Nuggets, and we are backing them to emerge victorious here and close out their pre-season journey with a win.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Sacramento Kings (Friday, 3:30am)
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The Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings conclude their preparation for the 2024-25 NBA regular season when they face off in their final warm-up game on Friday.
While the hosts set out in search of a fourth win on the bounce, it has been a forgettable pre-season campaign for the Kings, who will be looking to snap their four-game losing streak and lift their spirits before the season opener.
We say: Los Angeles Clippers to win by 7+ points
While the Sacramento Kings have lost each of their four games in pre-season, these results have been somewhat misleading and we expect them to pose a stern challenge against their hosts.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been tough to crack, claiming three wins on the trot since their narrow loss against the Golden State Warriors a fortnight ago, and we are backing them to close out their pre-season campaign on a positive note.
Joshua Ojele
