Our free NBA picks are out for Friday, March 25th, 2022! Make sure you check our NBA picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free NBA picks for the best five games on today’s schedule!
Utah Jazz @ Charlotte Hornets – 7pm ET
The road trip continues for the Utah Jazz, who are in Charlotte on Friday night to go toe-to-toe with the Charlotte Hornets. The Jazz will be hoping to get back on track after dropping their last two games, against the Nets and Celtics. The Hornets had their five-game winning streak snapped last time out, thanks to the Knicks, 106-121.
Jeffery Thomas
The Utah Jazz gets a Thursday off to regroup after being dealt a bad loss on Wednesday by the Boston Celtics. The C’s beat them by a score of 125-97 and the game was never in doubt from the opening tip, with Boston making their first 10 shots from the field, including six 3-pointers. Donovan Mitchell scored 37 in the loss but received little help from his teammates, with only one other Jazz player scoring over 13. Now they will shift their focus to another East coast opponent in the Hornets who also took a loss on Wednesday night. Charlotte hosted the Knicks without Julius Randle and fell victim to a barrage of threes from New York. The Knicks hit 20 three-pointers to counteract LaMelo Ball’s 32 points and snap the Hornets’ 5-game winning streak.
#TBT to 4 years ago, 2 rookies, 1 hike 🏔 pic.twitter.com/VUZmJ1aA9y
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 24, 2022
The Utah Jazz is not the same team that finished number one in the West last year but they do tend to show flashes from time to time. But in this spot, against this young and confident Hornets team at their house, I don’t think the Jazz should be getting this many points. The Celtics exposed a lot of weaknesses in the Jazz that I’ll expect Charlotte to exploit and I see this as a one-possession game either way so give me the points with the Hornets.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Charlotte Hornets +3.5 (-108)
Michael Lantz
The Utah Jazz continued to struggle against contending teams. As they failed to slow down the NBA’s hottest team the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Now, with their fourth seed on the line, the team will try to regroup and grab a road win against an always lethal Charlotte Hornets offense.
The Hornets are sitting in ninth place right now, one game ahead of the Atlanta Hawks and one game behind the Brooklyn Nets. This game could very well help determine where the team ends up going into the postseason. The Hornets didn’t help their case to grab a decent seed on Wednesday as they fell to a poor New York Knicks team. With how inconsistent the Jazz have played the Hornets have to feel like they have a fighting chance. These two teams are neck and neck in offense, but the Jazz plays significantly better defense. I’ll pick the Jazz to pull off a victory in this one.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Utah Jazz -3.5 (-112)
Noah Dunlap
Though they haven’t had the same kind of year we’ve grown expected to see from them, they’re still playing pretty good basketball, and are currently sitting as the four seed in the West. They slipped up against the hottest team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, and now they look to rebound against a somewhat disappointing Charlotte Hornets team.
Charlotte came into the year hopeful that this could be a year that saw them make real moves in terms of a postseason run, but despite having a high-powered offense, their defense has played as a form of obstacle this season, as they’ve just been awful. With a Utah team that plays pretty good defense up next, I’m just not sure Charlotte can score enough to stick around. Give me Utah with relative ease.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Utah Jazz -3.5 (-112)
Golden State Warriors @ Atlanta Hawks – 7.30pm ET
The Golden State Warriors are in game three of their five-game road trip on Friday night when they take on the Atlanta Hawks. The Warriors put an end to their three-game losing streak in their last game, as they were victorious over the Heat, 118-104.The Hawks have been trading wins and losses for the last six games now, and this takes their overall record on the season to 36-37.
Jeffery Thomas
Just when you thought the NBA couldn’t get any weirder we get what the Golden State Warriors pulled off on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Warriors went down to Orlando and were handed their third consecutive loss by the Magic, who have the second-worst record in the league. They then followed that up by resting Klay Thompson and Draymond Green for the second leg of the back-to-back on Wednesday against the top-seeded Miami Heat and stole a win with mainly bench players. Jordan Poole had 30 points in his elevated role, extending his run of at least 20 points to eleven games (6 with 26+). The Atlanta Hawks were also in action on Wednesday, playing the Detroit Pistons in a back-to-back situation. The tired legs were apparent for the Hawks who got off to a fast-start leading 31-26 at the end of the first quarter but were outscored in every quarter after and lost the game 122-101. The loss really didn’t do much for the Hawks in terms of the postseason because they are pretty much locked into the play-in tournament whatever happens the rest of these 9 games. A win here would do wonders for their confidence though, which will be very important in that do-or-die game.
The Hawks will be happy to have had Thursday off after playing the back-to-back and get to come home to take on a shorthanded Warriors team that played a bit over their skis in the win over Miami. Trae Young and company will have to deal with Draymond and Klay but those two just aren’t back to the levels of their prime and they may never get back to that level. In what will be a very fun battle between Jordan Poole and Trae Young I like Trae and the guys to take care of home court and get a much-needed victory.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Atlanta Hawks (-126)
Michael Lantz
After losing Steph Curry to injury, the Golden State Warriors looked lost, losing multiple games including an embarrassing defeat to the Orlando Magic. Well, the Warriors used that loss as motivation; on Wednesday night the Curry-less Warriors went into Miami and wiped out the Miami Heat 118-104. This should give them confidence as a core going forward — until Curry returns. On Thursday they’ll face an Atlanta Hawks team that’s fully capable of exploding on offense as well.
Ice has scored 45 PTS or more in 3 out of the last 6 games ❄️ @TheTraeYoung x @SharecareInc pic.twitter.com/88twOgJcYV
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 24, 2022
The Hawks are sitting safely as a play-in team, but they’d still like to get the highest seed possible to try and repeat last season’s impressive postseason run. On Tuesday, Trae Young continued to be public enemy number one in NYC, as the Hawks beat the Knicks 117-111. But, one day later they were destroyed by the lowly Detroit Pistons 122-101. This inconsistency is why the Hawks are fighting for a play-in spot instead of having a secure seeding. I don’t trust the Hawks against a very good and now very inspired Warriors defense. I’ll pick the Dubs to get the dub.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Golden State Warriors (+108)
Noah Dunlap
No one knows what to think about this Golden State Warriors team right now. They’ve spent much of the year as a top-5 team in the NBA, but have spent a few different stretches this year where they just don’t look like the same team. There’s been no better proof of that than their two-game stretch earlier this week that saw them lose to the lowly Orlando Magic, and then proceed to beat the best team in the East, the Miami Heat, without Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, or Draymond Green. When they play well, they have the potential to be the best team in the league, but when they don’t, it’s abysmal to watch.
They get the Atlanta Hawks in this one, and it’s a Hawks team that has been extremely disappointing all year long, especially coming off of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals run. They’re still way too reliant on Trae Young, which has me worried about whether or not they can be a real threat, even in the play-in tournament, which they’re currently in. The offense is there, but the defense is extremely questionable, which is why I’m taking Golden State in this one, with no real concern.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Golden State Warriors (+108)
New York Knicks @ Miami Heat – 8pm ET
The New York Knicks are on the road to wrap up the working week when they travel to FTX Arena to take on the Miami Heat. The Knicks have won three of their last five games, taking their overall season record to 31-42. The Heat will be looking to get back on track in this game, as they have now lost two games in a row, against the 76ers and Warriors.
Jeffery Thomas
The Heat are on a two-game losing streak and emotions boiled over on Wednesday in their loss to the Golden State Warriors. They were on the wrong end of a 19-0 run during the 3rd quarter and had to call a timeout. During that TO head coach, Erik Spoelstra threw his clipboard to the ground while Jimmy Butler and Udonis Haslem were caught up in a heated shouting match. Everybody insisted it was no big deal and was just emotions pouring over during a bad loss, so we’ll see and Friday night is their chance to bounce back against the Knicks. The New York Knicks are on the opposite end of the spectrum and coming off a 121-106 win on Wednesday over the Charlotte Hornets. There was no Julius Randle that night and RJ Barrett stepped up for 30 points to lead the way for the 11th place Knicks who are five games back of the play-in tournament.
The Heat are the top team in the Eastern Conference and you don’t get there without some adversity. Now the Heat is in a spot where they need to bounce back from an adverse situation and this bad Knicks team is the ideal opponent to do just that. The Heat will hope to get Tyler Herro back for this game but even if they don’t I’ll expect a professional outing from this great team and a cover.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat -6 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Despite having a pretty abysmal season, the New York Knicks have looked a bit better lately. They’ve won three of their last five including a big win over the Charlotte Hornets earlier in the week. The Knicks will try to end this season on a positive note, with their next task being the one-seed Miami Heat.
OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have signed Mychal Mulder to a two-way contract. Additionally, the HEAT has waived Kyle Guy. pic.twitter.com/iPENyNNdj9
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 25, 2022
But things haven’t been so merry for Miami. The Heat lost to conference rivals the Philadelphia 76ers, who were without Joel Embiid and James Harden. They then lost to a Golden State Warriors team that’s without Steph Curry. In the Warriors game, tensions finally exploded as Jimmy Butler and Udonis Haslem got into it on the bench. This team cannot keep throwing away easy wins; they must get it together against a lowly Knicks team that also has nothing to lose. I think the Heat will get it together for this home game as they know they don’t have long before the postseason to get their act right.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat -6 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
New York has been atrocious virtually all year long, apart from the very beginning of the season, and now that they have basically nothing to play for, I’m not sure how interested they’ll be, as tanking may be a better option for the good of the franchise. And, with them getting the one seed in the East, the Miami Heat, who are coming off of a tough loss to the Golden State team without their three best players on Wednesday, I think we see a Heat team that looks to make a statement in this one.
Miami is going to be frustrated after their performance against the Warriors in their last outing. They didn’t look anything like the one-seed that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing so far this year, and that’s something that I don’t think we’re going to get much of moving forward. Even with Tyler Herro being questionable for this matchup, I think Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are more than enough to take care of a slumping Knicks team.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat -6 (-110)
Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 8pm ET
The Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves played each other just a couple of days ago, and in that game, it was the Mavericks that were victorious, 110-108. Now with the game played in Minnesota, can the Timberwolves get revenge or will the Mavericks win yet again?
Jeffery Thomas
The Dallas Mavericks went into battle with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday without their star Luka Doncic and took care of business 110-91. Spencer Dinwiddie got the start in his place and went off for 26 points and 6 assists along with Jalen Brunson who led the team with 28 points. Doncic is expected to be back for this battle of two Western Conference playoff teams on Thursday. Minnesota will hope to get back in the win column and get a bit of revenge on these same Mavericks that just beat them on Monday 110-108. That loss was followed up by another loss on Wednesday to the Phoenix Suns 125-116, in a game where they let DeAndre Ayton drop a career-high 35 points.
Like I said we just got this game earlier in the week and Dallas came away victorious on their home floor. That actually puts them in a dangerous spot now, traveling to Minnesota against a team thirsty for revenge and battling hard to avoid the play-in tournament. The Wolves just saw the Nuggets lose on Thursday to up the race for that 6 seed and now expect Minnesota to take advantage and gain an edge with a win on Friday.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (-130)
Michael Lantz
When these two met earlier in the week, it did not disappoint. The Mavericks were able to pull off the 110-108 victory over the Timberwolves after six Dallas players scored 15 or more points. The Mavericks followed that game up with an easy victory over their in-state rivals as they smothered the Houston Rockets 110-91. They now have the same record as the four-sees Utah Jazz as they look to potentially overtake Utah and have that fourth spot all to themselves.
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MFFLs, drop yours in the comments 📺@hotelsdotcom | #MavsOnTheMove pic.twitter.com/6kLVByMluy
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 25, 2022
But that won’t be easy, the Timberwolves have been one of basketball’s hottest teams over the last month with Karl-Anthony Towns playing like a monster. The Timberwolves almost had the Mavericks on Monday and they’ll be eager to get another crack at them, this time in Minneapolis. Even with Dallas being hungry for the four seed and having a defense that’s among the league’s best (not to mention a guy named Luka Doncic), I think the Wolves get back on track after they lost to Dallas and then followed that with a loss to the Chris Paul-less Phoenix Suns. They’ll want to continue putting the league on notice come playoff time and not run out of steam. A win here is a great opportunity.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (-130)
Noah Dunlap
What are we going to get from this Dallas team? The Mavericks have played well for much of the year, even with them getting rid of Kristaps Porzingis, as Luka Doncic to this point has shown more than enough to be able to carry the load. The problem is that there’s no real number two option for the Mavs, which could prove to be problematic if Luka ever has an off night.
Now they travel north to Minnesota to take on a Timberwolves team that is extremely scrappy and has a lot to play for, as they’re trying to avoid getting stuck in the play-in tournament, as they’re currently the seven-seed, but only find themselves one game out of sixth. With them having a lot to play for, and Dallas virtually being locked into the 4-5 matchup for the first round of the playoffs, and this one being in Minnesota, I’m taking the Timberwolves here, as I think they pull out a close one at home.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves -2 (-110)
Philadelphia 76ers @ Los Angeles Clippers – 10.30pm ET
The last game on the slate for Friday will see the Philadelphia 76ers hit the road and travel to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers. The 76ers have won four of their last five games, with their only loss in this span coming against the Raptors, 88-93. The Clippers are continuing to slip, as they have now lost four games in a row, against the Cavaliers, Raptors, Jazz, and Nuggets.
Jeffery Thomas
Philadelphia held off the LeBron-less Lakers on Wednesday 126-121 and now will face the other LA team on Friday. Joel Embiid added another 30-point performance to his case for MVP and James Harden added 24 in the win. The Sixers are now only 1.5 games back of the Heat for the top seed in the East after Miami’s loss to Golden State that same night so we should expect to see an even more locked-in Philadelphia squad on Friday. Their opponent for this game, the Clippers, will hope a return home can help end their current four-game losing streak. Last time out the Denver Nuggets rode a fast start to a double-digit win over the Clippers who couldn’t get the 3 balls to fall. LAC shot just 31% from deep compared to Denver who shot a robust 50% and that proved to be the difference in the game.
The Clippers are starting to look a lot like their cross-town rival Lakers in terms of competitiveness nowadays and it’s hard to back them right now. Philadelphia has cooled off since looking like world-beaters when James Harden first arrived but they are still levels ahead of the Clippers and this spread should be a little higher in my opinion. Give me the Sixers in what should be a double-digit victory.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers -6 (-110)
Michael Lantz
After a shocking win against the Miami Heat, where the 76ers rested Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Sixers continued their hunt for the conference one-seed with a close win over a LeBron-less Lakers squad. As the Sixers continue to try and come out on top in a competitive Eastern Conference, they’ll have to play against one of the league’s most resilient squads, the L.A. Clippers.
foot on the gas. ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/2CTKdrvAnb
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 24, 2022
Despite injuries to all their star players, the Clippers have come together to play great team ball under coach Tyronn Lue. They’re currently the eight-seed in the Western Conference and are looking to grab some momentum going into the postseason. Because over the last two weeks, it seems the Clippers have run out of steam. They’ve lost four straight, and while they are pretty much a sealed deal for the eight-seed, they want to show they don’t want to bring bad play into the play-in games and potentially miss the first true round of the playoffs. Still, this one won’t be easy for them, imagining both Embiid and Harden play. Even though Philly can be a bit unpredictable, I think they prove to be too much for this tired Clippers team.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers -6 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to keep things going in a positive direction, after knocking off the Lakers in their last game. They’re still the second-seed out East, but as they only find themselves a game and a half back of the Heat for the top spot, I expect them to try to ramp things up just a bit as we near the end of the regular season. With Joel Embiid playing like the MVP of the league and having James Harden to pick up some of the slack, I actually do think they have at least a moderate chance of chasing down Miami for that top spot.
Now they stay in LA to take on the Clippers, and while the Clips have been one of the best stories of the year, as they’re almost certainly playoff-bound despite all of the injuries they’ve faced this year, I’m just not sure they have enough to get the win in this one, especially if Embiid and Harden play well. Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard should be able to keep this one close, but in the end, the ability to take over games from both of Philly’s stars proves to be the difference. Give me the Sixers in a close one, as I think they win, but it comes tightly.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers (-255)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
