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