NBA Best Bets Today, 12/19: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Thursday
Giannis Antetokounmpo came through with another great championship performance. In doing so he cashed in on his +225 MVP odds, and following the advice of Fantasy Alarm’s NBA best bets to place a wager on the MVP instead of the money line rewarded us well.
The Bucks did not cover the over on their team total, because there was absolutely no need for them to score in the fourth quarter…. Well if they scored two points it would have been a win, they scored twenty. Either way Giannis brought in +1.25 units to give NBA Best Bets its fourth profitable day in a row. ‘Never underestimate the heart of a champion!’
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 12/19
The NBA returns to action following the NBA Cup. Every team, coaching staff, court maintenance crew, and concession stand vendors enjoyed somewhat of a break yesterday… Everyone deserves a day off from time to time.
Today there are 13 matches, which means all but four teams are playing. Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets focuses on two player props and a same game parlay, all tickets on the visiting teams.
Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Denver ML & Porter Jr. 7+ Rebounds (+200 SGP on Bet365) *Bet of the Night
A Northwest Division showdown is going down at the Moda Center tonight. It is the Moda Center but for a few of us it’s always going to be the Rose Garden, and there have been fabulous basketball matches there.
The Portland Trail Blazers are not playing so fabulously this season, in fact they are on a six-game losing streak. They are a very young team, and it could take some time to be a contender in what is the most competitive division in basketball.
The Denver Nuggets come in as -8.5 favorites, but as mentioned several times, Denver is not the best at covering the spread. A simple moneyline is suggested for the first fold of this parlay. The second fold is a teased up rebounding line on none other than Michael Porter
His over line is heavily juiced at 5.5 but has positive odds on the alternate line of 7+. Should a bettor prefer to put a single ticket on the alternate rebounding line at positive odds, by all means do it.
However, 2:1 odds on a 7’ forward to earn his average (7.1) against a team on a six-game losing streak seems more than probable. It is a smart bet, put a unit on the parlay and root for M. Porter Jr. to attack the glass.
Bulls vs. Celtics Prediction: Vucevic Over 1.5 Threes Made (-120 on Bet365) *2U
The evidence is mounting and mounting on why this is the best bet of the season. Nikola Vucevic, The Well, has been successful on over 10 tickets this season, and over half of those were at positive odds. He delivers and provides, and in betting that is invaluable.
The Chicago Bulls travel to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics today, and the game total is the highest of the night by 5 points. There will be several three point attempts tonight by almost everyone. Kristaps Porzingis is a great three-point scorer and there could be an unspoken three-point competition amongst both centers.
Even if there isn’t, 241 points for teams that prefer to play offense instead of defense is the only indication needed for the double unit hammer. The Well has made two or more threes in six of his last seven games and he should have seven games after tonight. He also made six threes in his most recent match against the Celtics on November 29. Trust Vucevic to deliver on a double unit wager against the Celtics.
NBA Player Props & Other Picks Today, 12/19
The last of our NBA picks comes in what could be called a revenge game.
The most discussed, and most impactful trade came between the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks. This bet is on a player that was involved in that trade.
Knicks vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 23.5 Points (-115 on Bet365)
Karl-Anthony Towns returns to the Target Center and should get a loud ovation from the crowd. He is widely considered a top three player in franchise history, and he played nine seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He should be all business against his former team and locked in on scoring. He practiced against Rudy Gobert for years and knows how to take advantage of him offensively. He also has more games at the Target Center than any player tonight He has literally attempted tens of thousands of field goals on each end of the court, and familiarity will not be an issue.
Towns averages 24.8 points per game this season, and 23.0 over his career. His teammates know this is more than a game as most have played for other teams. This will be his first time playing back at the Target Center as a visitor, and regardless of what he or other players may say publicly, privately it has more importance to it. The coaching staff knows it, his former and current teammates know it, and so do the fans. Put a unit for Towns to cover his point proposition tonight.
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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy
*All odds accurate at time of writing and NBA best bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise
Player News
Kyle Filipowski accumulated 21 points (9-of-21 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, one assist, one block and one three-pointer in Sunday’s loss to the Warriors.
Two days removed from putting on a show with a 32-point effort against the Hornets, Filipowski was not as effective on Sunday. He still surpassed 20 points, but sometimes the Jazz forward/center was not as decisive as he needed to be offensively. Instead of making quick moves to take advantage of mismatches, Filipowski was too deliberate at times, thus eliminating whatever advantage he had. With Utah trading John Collins, there’s an opening in the starting lineup. While Filipowski may be a candidate, the same can be said for Brice Sensabaugh, who played so well in Salt Lake City that the Jazz shut him down before arriving in Las Vegas.
Cody Williams amassed 22 points (8-of-17 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and one three-pointer in Sunday’s loss to the Warriors.
Williams has surpassed 20 points in two straight games, a positive development for a player who struggled mightily as a rookie. However, the perimeter shot remains a work in progress. Williams was 1-of-6 from deep on Sunday, two nights after going 3-of-11 in the loss to the Hornets. He isn’t going to turn into a knockdown shooter overnight. Williams remains a player worth the risk in dynasty leagues, but managers in redraft leagues can afford to leave him on the board.
Will Richard tallied nine points (3-of-7 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, there steals, one block and one three-pointer in Sunday’s win over the Jazz.
Richard was not as productive offensively as he was in Friday’s blowout loss to the Trail Blazers, but he once again provided value in multiple areas. The second-round pick out of Florida is in a similar position to Alex Toohey, with both yet to sign contracts with the Warriors. Not only does Golden State have two available two-way slots, but it also has multiple open standard contract slots. Some notable free agents are still available on the market, including restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, so Richard may be in a holding pattern of sorts as the Warriors’ front office sorts things out.
Alex Toohey finished Sunday’s win over the Jazz with 15 points (4-of-11 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer.
After getting blown out by Portland in their first game in Las Vegas, Toohey and the Warriors bounced back on Sunday. The second-round pick was solid, leading the Warriors’ starters in scoring and nearly filling the stat sheet. Toohey has yet to sign a contract, and with the Warriors still having work to do in free agency, he may have to wait a bit longer. Gabe Madsen was the true standout on Sunday, as he came off the bench to contribute 22 points and six three-pointers.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser finished Sunday’s win over the Bucks with two points (1-of-1 FGs), three rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot.
While Konan Niederhauser turned 22 in March, these early games in Las Vegas have reminded us that he’s still a bit of a project. The rookie notched his first made basket on Sunday, an alley-oop dunk, and he was also responsible for two steals. Konan Niederhauser will be more of an asset for dynasty leagues than redraft leagues, but he will have the opportunity to learn from Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez next season.
Cam Christie produced 21 points (6-of-14 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), three rebounds, three assists, one steal and three three-pointers in Sunday’s win over the Bucks.
Christie is one of the few players on the Clippers’ summer roster whose contract is guaranteed for the 2025-26 season. The second-round pick could not earn rotation minutes as a rookie, and it will be challenging to change that next season due to the Clippers’ perimeter depth. Christie shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc against the Bucks, and he’ll need to be a consistent shooter to have any chance of providing tangible fantasy value.