It is Friday, which means we have officially made it to the weekend.
Let’s try to start the weekend off on the right foot with some solid picks on PrizePicks.
There are eight games on the schedule Friday, so there are plenty of projections to choose from.
Here are my four favorite picks.
Brandon Miller (Hornets vs. Wizards) more than 28.5 points + rebounds + assists
This is easily my favorite game of the slate. It features a close spread, a high total and both teams are short-handed.
The Hornets are facing the Wizards, who are first in pace and dead last in defensive rating.
Despite missing LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Cody Martin and Seth Curry, the Hornets have a team total that is 4.5 points higher than their season average.
Miller is a talented rookie who should push for 35-plus minutes with increased usage against the worst defensive team in the NBA.
I’m rolling with the points + rebounds + assists projection, as it gives us a few outs. We aren’t relying on a single stat category.
Kyle Kuzma (Hornets vs. Wizards) more than 22.5 points
As noted earlier, this is my favorite game of the slate.
These are two bad teams, but they are equally bad, so I am expecting a close and high-scoring game.
Kuzma’s playing time has been volatile recently, but that has more to do with the team than anything else.
He should see minutes in the high 30s tonight at home against the Hornets.
This is a solid matchup on paper and he has been red-hot recently, scoring at least 23 points in five of his last six games.
I could see this projection being a point or two higher by the time the game tips off.
Tobias Harris (Pelicans vs. 76ers) less than 20 points
I understand why this projection is so high.
The Sixers are without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Robert Covington and De’Anthony Melton.
In theory, this should lead to a major boost in usage for Harris. However, that hasn’t really been the case.
He’s had a similar role, while Buddy Hield, Kyle Lowry, Cam Payne and Kelly Oubre have all taken on bigger roles.
Harris has been held to less than 20 points in seven of his last nine games and has only taken 12 and 16 shots the last two games, respectively.
To make matters worse, he is facing a Pelicans team that is sixth in defensive rating and eigth in points allowed per game this season.
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Jarrett Allen (Timberwolves vs. Cavaliers) more than 12 rebounds
The Wolves are the best defensive team in the NBA and are seventh in rebounding rate this season. However, injuries on both teams make this a much better spot for Allen.
On his own team, Evan Mobley (10.2 rebounds per game) has been ruled out.
For Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns has been ruled out.
Both of these improve Allen’s rebounding chances. He has grabbed at least 12 rebounds in three of his last four games and should see 35+ minutes if Friday’s game stays competitive.
Good luck and have a great weekend.