NBA Best Bets & Player Props December 16: Jonathan Kuminga Looks To Pad The Stat Sheet
We were one block away from a fantastic gain yesterday, however it does not dampen our spirits as we are still over ten units gained thus far. There are ten NBA games today, two nationally televised on NBATV. They are the Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers, which a wager will be placed on, and the Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings. There is another repeat game of the Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat, and this column lays a familiar prop bet that was successful in their last match. There is also a Western Conference showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets, with a proposition bet that seems favorable. Finally we get to take a bet on the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga, as their prop bets are available. There are four bets in the column today, three proposition bets and one straight bet at positive odds.
BET OF THE NIGHT: Jonathan Kuminga OVER 13.5 Points (-130 MGM)
FINALLY! This bet has been an unofficial bet for this column, but now it becomes official. J. Kuminga was a hot name in the offseason and Golden State Warrior beat writers, and those close to the team said the arrival of Chris Paul has elevated Jonathan Kuminga. CP3 has taken him under his wing and is elevating his play and basketball IQ. He started Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers and could start again tonight versus the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets were blown out by the Denver Nuggets in three quarters and it ruined our double unit bet. J. Kuminga should not have that issue tonight, as this should be a tightly contested game. J. Kuminga has gone over this line in his last three games, and the sportsbooks are not catching up to what is going on. Lay the unit.
STRAIGHT BET: ATLANTA HAWKS MONEYLINE (+115 MGM)
There has not been a straight bet in this column for a few days, as the props have been very lucrative and profitable as of late. However the Atlanta Hawks continue their road trip and are playing against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is reeling after a hit to the face… literally. Starting guard Darius Garland fractured his jaw when he and Kristaps Porzingis collided. They will also be without Evan Mobley who will have surgery on his knee and be out six to eight weeks. They are also without role players Rick Rubio and Ty Jerome. The Hawks are not playing at an elite level, but they have twice as many road wins as they do home wins. They are fresh off of a road victory against the Toronto Raptors and if they want to climb out of tenth place in the Eastern Conference, they must beat an injured Cavs team who is only .500 at home.
JAMAL MURRAY OVER 19.5 POINTS (-120 MGM)
Jamal Murray is back and in a big way. He is still playing through a bi-lateral ankle sprain, but the strained hamstring is no longer an issue. Murray has been double-teamed, and opposing defenders are playing stingy defense without receiving fouls. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Denver Nuggets starting shooting guard, is in concussion protocol which will force Jamal Murray to score more. The only game this month that J. Murray hasn’t scored over twenty points was against the Brooklyn Nets. Denver’s starting lineup did not play any of the fourth quarter either. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) of the Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing against him and SGA is not known for his defending. He is known for his scoring, and he and Jamal Murray are Canadians, teammates on the national team. They bring out the competitive spirit in each other, and J. Murray has stated that he always wants to beat and outperform SGA when they play against each other. Look for over twenty points from Jamal Murray tonight in Ball Arena tonight.
NIKOLA VUCEVIC OVER 11.5 REBOUNDS (-120 MGM)
This bet was featured two days ago, against the same team, at the same arena, against the same predicted starting lineups. Nikola Vucevic earned this in his previous game, and has hit this mark in four of his last five games. Starting center, Bam Adebayo is still out for the Miami Heat and that is a problem for them against a center as dominant as Vucevic who also finished with twenty-four points. This is one of the most successful bets over the past three years and it is another favorable matchup. Orlando Robinson and Thomas Bryant had a combined 4 rebounds in their last match, and N. Vucevic should outperform them easily again. Put a unit on the big fella.
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Thank you for reading.
Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy
*All Bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise