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NBA weekend betting preview: Pacers' schedule gets tougher

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Welcome to one of the best weekends of the sports schedule. The next three days boast a loaded NBA slate as teams return from their one-day holiday hiatus. To get you locked and loaded for the weekend, here's a breakdown of some of the best angles on the docket.

Friday

Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat (-11.5, 212)

Miami hasn't been a great play as an underdog this season (3-4-1 against the spread), but it has yet to lose when laying chalk. The Heat are a perfect 9-0 ATS as favorites and they're giving plenty of points Friday against the lowly Warriors.

Miami's had a couple of spotty offensive performances over its last three contests, but this feels like a get-right game against a team traveling across the country the day after a holiday. The Heat have also averaged 117.5 points per game after losses this season, a trend that applies to Friday's matchup after they fell to Houston on Wednesday. What better way to bounce back from a loss to the Rockets than a tilt against a Warriors team ranked 26th in the league in scoring defense?

Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers (-11.5, 235)

The highest-scoring team through one-plus month of the season? Your Washington Wizards, whose 119.4 points per game are currently tied with Milwaukee. Washington's also No. 2 in the NBA in both offensive rating and effective field goal percentage, as well as top five in pace. The Wizards are catching a boatload of points on the road against the West-leading Lakers, but I think the total is the better look. The Wiz are 6-1 to the over in their last seven as road 'dogs, holding up their end of their bargain to the tune of a 123.2-point average over that span. Who knows how much time we have until Wizards' totals are consistently in the 240s.

Saturday

Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers

The Pacers reached a team milestone Wednesday, finally beating - and covering against - a winning team with a 121-102 victory over Utah. Indiana's had nothing short of a cakewalk over its first 22 games of the season, facing just three teams that currently own winning records. I'm especially curious to see where this number opens on Saturday. A road game two days removed from Thanksgiving against arguably the toughest opponent on the docket so far? I'd look to play the 76ers in this spot with anything at -7 or better.

Charlotte Hornets at Milwaukee Bucks

Charlotte's been pretty formidable out of the gate. The Hornets already have seven wins on the season and own a winning record ATS. Visiting the Bucks in the second half of a back-to-back won't be a walk in the park, but Charlotte's held its own in this spot. In four games on zero days' rest so far this season, the Hornets have covered every time. They've also been a thorn in the Bucks' side recently, covering five of the last six against them. Milwaukee, meanwhile, has been dreadful at home, covering just one of its last five at Fiserv Forum.

Sunday

Miami Heat at Brooklyn Nets

My initial look here would be a potential under. The Nets have played to that side of the total in five of their last six with Kyrie Irving's absence drastically impacting the offense. Miami's also gone under the total in four of its last five on the road.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.

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