There's some fascinating fixtures this Friday for NBA punters to get excited about.
None more so than Andrew Bogut's return to the Oracle Arena, when the Warriors host the Pacers.
Read our NBA betting pick for that game, as well as Denver's trip to Washington, and Utah's attempt to make it six-straight in Atlanta.
Denver Nuggets @ Washington Wizards
NBA Odds: Nuggets $1.36 (-6.5) / Wizards $3.25 (+6.5)
Friday's opening fixture sees the Nuggets tackle Washington in what is a must win game for both side's respective playoffs aspirations.
The Nuggets are currently one win behind Golden State at the top of the Western Conference ladder.
The Wizards meanwhile can all but wave their chances of making playoffs goodbye if they can't get the win here.
Washington were looking like outsiders to sneak into eighth spot in the East.
But those slim odds have all but evaporated, after they tasted defeat in three of their last four.
It was always going to be difficult for the Wizards, who lost key point guard John Wall to a season ending injury late last year.
While fellow guard Bradley Beal has stood up without his backcourt partner, a recent dip in his performance has coincided with this poor run from the Wizards.
A prolific 3-point shooter, Beal has only made 2 of his past 12 efforts across Washington's recent two defeats.
But even when Beal does play out of his skin, the Wizards can still lose.
Against the Hornets on March 16, Beal made 40 points, shooting above 50% from the field, and yet his side still tasted defeat.
Washington's biggest weakness is their lack of big rebounding players who can secure the ball after missed shots.
The Wizards rank 3rd-last in the NBA for rebounds, with just 50 per game.
In their previous three games, this has dropped even further to 48.
Against the Nuggets, this won't cut it.
That's because the team from Denver can owe a lot of their success to their rebounding, which is the 7th-best league wide.
Star player Nikola Jokic is a seven-foot forward who can do just about everything on the court.
He's going to have a field day on the boards, grabbing all the scraps that come his way.
Key NBA Stat
The Wizards have won 3 of their previous 4 against the Nuggets: Washington to win @ 3.25
Free NBA Pick: Denver to cover the -6.5 point line @ $1.92
Reasoning: With the hunger to hunt down Golden State, and with a clear advantage in rebounding, look to the Nuggets to win handsomely.
Utah Jazz @ Atlanta Hawks
NBA Odds: Jazz $1.31 (-7.0) / Hawks $3.60 (+7.0)
Nearing the end of their 2018/9 campaign, the Atlanta Hawks will be fairly pleased with their effort, that has seen them record 24 wins to date.
They sit on the 12th rung of the Eastern Conference ladder, and considering they were expected by many to finish on the bottom, this has been a good season.
Rookie Trae Young has been a revelation in Atlanta, and is currently sitting second with bookies' NBA odds to win the rookie of the year.
Young is averaging 19 points and 8 assists per game, establishing himself as a key member of Atlanta's team.
Fellow Hawks young gun John Collins also has critics raving, as he averages 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in his sophomore season.
There's no doubt that the future is looking very bright in Atlanta.
The question is whether they can pull off the upset here.
Considering that they've won two of their past three at home, it's possible.
But based on how the Jazz have been playing of late, it doesn't look likely.
Utah have won five games on the bounce, all of them by a comfortable margin.
In fact, the smallest margin of victory in this run came against the Nets, where Utah triumphed by 16 points.
Donovan Mitchell and Aussie star Joe Ingles have been key to this recent run.
Mitchell has been dishing up crazy numbers for a second year player, while Ingles continues to fire with precision from deep.
In Utah's Thursday game against the Kings, Mitchell scored 30 points at 60% from the field, while Ingles nailed 6 of his 9 three-point attempts.
And with victory in sight a long way from home, both Mitchell and Ingles were rested in the fourth quarter.
Expect them to come out and keep the top form going here.
Key NBA Stat
Utah have won 5 of their past 6 road games: Jazz to win @ $1.31
Free NBA Pick: Utah Jazz to cover the -7.0 point line @ $1.92
Reasoning: Based on their recent form, the Jazz pick themselves.
Indiana Pacers @ Golden State Warriors
NBA Odds: Pacers $6.10 (+11.0) / Warriors $1.14 (-11.0)
Friday's highlight game sees the Pacers make the always difficult road trip to California to take on the Warriors.
As many expected, Indiana's attempts to maintain their early season effort in the absence of Victor Oladipo is proving unsustainable.
They are currently in the midst of a horror road trip, that has seen them lose consecutive games to the Nuggets, Trail Blazers and Clippers.
With the Warriors next up, it's looking like the Pacers will be heading back home with nothing to show for it.
While they've practically secured a playoffs berth, there is still the all important seeding to play for.
Every win from now until the end of the season is crucial. It won't only ensure a better seeding, but give the Pacers a bit of positive momentum heading into post-season.
In the absence of Oladipo, experienced Guard-Forwards Tyreke Evans and Bojan Bogdanovic have really stood up.
However, it still looks like they are missing a star player, and against the star-studded Warriors, only a display of lights-out shooting will get them over the line.
Speaking of Golden State, they will play their first game back at the Oracle Arena after a four-game road trip.
Australia's own Andrew Bogut will be looking to play his first minutes back in Oakland, after he linked up with his old side from the Sydney Kings for the rest of the season.
Bogut had an impressive return game against the Spurs, with 7 points and 7 boards from his 19 minutes on the floor.
He's not looking to be a big scorer, but merely add his rebounding ability and experience to a Warriors side that already boasts the likes of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.
He is also a quality rotation when DeMarcus Cosuins is out with injury, as was the case last game.
Whether or not "Boogie" returns to the court for this clash against the Pacers, Golden State have more than enough points in them to overpower the opposition.
Look for a dominant win with the playoffs in sight.
Key NBA Stat
The Warriors have lost 3 of their past 4 games at the Oracle Arena: Indiana to win @ $6.10
Free NBA Pick: Golden State to cover the -11.0 point line @ $1.92
Reasoning: This is the time of the year when the Warriors lift to another level. Expect that to start here against a struggling Pacers outfit.
Mar 21, 2019 07:01 PM
AAP
Key NBA Stat
Free NBA Pick: Denver to cover the -6.5 point line @ $1.92 
