Friday has 3 games on the NBA slate as the fourth week of April 2026 rolls on. It’s the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The first game will start at 7:00 PM ET, the second game will be at 8:00 PM ET, and the final contest will tip off at 10:30 PM ET. All 3 games will be broadcast on Prime Video.
Can the Rockets cover the 8.5-point spread as home favorites against the Lakers? Can the Spurs win and cover on the road in Game 3 against the Trail Blazers?
I’ll make picks for both contests below. Read on for our Friday NBA Best Bets April 24 article.
NBA Best Bet: Los Angeles Lakers +8.5 over Houston Rockets
The Los Angeles Lakers are well-positioned to cover the 8.5-point spread as road underdogs against the Houston Rockets on Friday night. The Lakers consistently excel in these scheduling spots, sitting at 9-6 ATS when playing on 2 or 3 days of rest and an impressive 30-24 ATS following a win this year.
Furthermore, L.A.’s solid 31-23 ATS record in conference play highlights their reliability in Western Conference clashes. Recent history also heavily favors Los Angeles, who are 7-3 straight up and a highly profitable 8-2 ATS in their last 10 matchups against the Rockets. Expect Los Angeles to keep this game highly competitive down to the wire.
At the time of this writing, 85% of public bets are on the Lakers +8.5. To see which way the public is leaning for all of the NBA games on Friday, head over to our NBA public betting chart page.
Final score projection: LOS ANGELES LAKERS 110, HOUSTON ROCKETS 107.
NBA Best Bet: San Antonio Spurs -2.5 over Portland Trail Blazers
Despite Victor Wembanyama likely sitting out Friday’s game with a concussion, the San Antonio Spurs are primed to cover the 2.5-point spread as road favorites against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Spurs remain highly capable without their star, going 12-6 straight up without Wembanyama this season. They also thrive in bounce-back spots with a 14-7 ATS record after a loss this year.
Additionally, San Antonio is a reliable 23-17-1 ATS as the road team, 34-30-2 ATS as a favorite, and 27-15-2 ATS when playing an opponent on equal rest this season. Expect their depth to step up and secure a crucial road win and cover.
At the time of this writing, the Spurs are listed at -135 on the money line. For all of the money line, spread, and total odds for Friday’s NBA games, click through to our NBA betting odds page.
Final score projection: SAN ANTONIO SPURS 121, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 115.
Friday NBA Best Bets April 24
- Los Angeles Lakers +8.5
- San Antonio Spurs -2.5
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