There are six games on the slate tonight, with no shortage of shortage of options to explore. Let’s not waste any more time, and jump right into some of our favorite picks for December 16.
Monday’s Best NBA Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Cleveland Cavaliers – First Quarter/Match Winner (-160)
We start off with a juicy selection that many may overlook when delving into this contest between the Cavaliers and Nets. These odds are a -300 edge against the Moneyline, and if you fancy, this pick is a fantastic closing piece for any same game parlays you may be entering this evening.
Brooklyn is on the verge of shipping out most of their current roster via trade. That type of inevitability does not breed a strong sense of cohesiveness or chemistry. We expect the Nets to be down early and by quite a large disparity.
Cleveland leads the league in first-quarter points, scoring 32.5 on 53.2% shooting from the field. On the opposite end of the floor, Brooklyn scores an average of 28.7 points in the first quarter on 48% shooting.
Dennis Schroder being traded was a tremendous loss to the Nets’ offense, especially in regards to ball-handling, and creating opportunities for others to score. Ben Simmons should assume the vacancy at point guard. The drastic change to the offense is why we are comfortably taking Cleveland to win the first quarter, and the game as well.
Guerschon Yabusele Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-125)
With Joel Embiid out for this contest, the dancing bear, Guerschon Yubesele, gets to once again strut his stuff for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers forward could see over thirty minutes of playing time in a favorable matchup against Charlotte this evening.
In the two prior meetings versus the Hornets this season, Yubesele is averaging 13.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 31.5 minutes on the floor. The veteran from France has exceeded this suggested total of points, rebounds, and assists in five of the last seven games without Embiid in the lineup.
Charlotte ranks in the bottom half of the league in regards to both points as well as assists. Combined, these two teams shoot 43.3% from the field- which means there should also be a fair amount of rebounds for Yubesele to pull down.
Bulls at Raptors – 2+ Three-Pointers Made In First 3 Minutes – No (+122)
This selection is certainly an oddball pick. However, that should never dissuade you from getting in on some plus action. The Bulls and Raptors are not exactly pillars of efficiency when it comes to long-distance shooting, and combined they are only making 6.8 three-pointers in the first quarter.
Chicago is the leader of the two with 4.0 baskets made from beyond the arc, while Toronto is hitting 2.8 shots from deep in the first quarter. The Raptors average 26.8 points in the first 12 minutes of contests- shooting only 31% from beyond the perimeter.
Toronto is only averaging 26.0 points in the first quarter over their last five games. There’s no doubt this should be a high-scoring contest. Having said that, we don’t expect the game to begin with two three-pointers or more in the first three minutes.
Nuggets at Kings – Under 239.5 Total Points (-112)
Christian Braun and Kevin Huerter are both questionable at this time, though beyond that these teams are pretty much at full strength. Each team has been productive offensively recently-scoring over 120 points or more in the last five games. However, Sacramento has held teams to 109.0 points in those contests, while Denver is allowing 114.4.
Defense is going to be the key to staying under the 240 total, and both teams rank within the top 15 in regards to defensive rating. In the previous five games, the Nuggets have increased their ranking in defensive rating to fifth, while the Kings have jumped up to eighth.
Sacramento ranks 18th amongst the NBA in pace and has only exceeded the suggested total for tonight in three of the last 15 games. As for Denver, they are knocking down 2.8 three-pointers less when on the road on an abysmal 30% shooting. It should be a sweat, but we feel this game falls under 239.5 points.
Utah Jazz +8 (-110)
We close out the evening in Los Angeles where the Clippers take on the Jazz in a battle that will end the current losing streak for one team. Los Angeles has lost three straight games, while Utah is coming off back-to-back losses. The +8 just seems like a smidgen too much for a team that hasn’t won since the 3rd of December.
Los Angeles ranks sixth in regards to worst offensive rating, and 20th in efficiency. The Clippers are only connecting on 46.2% of their field goals, and over the last five games that number has decreased to 45.5%. LA turns the ball over an average of 16.5 times each contest while allowing 19.3 points to opponents off of turnovers.
While Utah is struggling this season with only five wins in 24 games, three of the victories were on the road. The Jazz average five more points each contest when away from home, with an increase in field-goal percentage. With Jordan Clarkson possibly back in the mix for this contest, Utah should get a much-needed offensive boost.
