3 NBA Best Bets and Predictions for Monday 12/16/24
The 82-game NBA regular season offers us a wide variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and totals. The Association features 1,230 regular season games, which can make sifting through the odds an overwhelming task.
However, various advanced statistics can help narrow the choices. numberFire's NBA power rankings and NBA game projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to quality bets.
While utilizing some of the mentioned tools, which NBA odds from FanDuel Sportsbook look like the best bets today?
Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All injury news comes from the NBA's official injury report.
Today's Best NBA Betting Picks
Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets
Under 217.0 Points (-110)
Total Points
It's pretty stunning there's a total on the board lower than this one.
Both the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets will be without their heliocentric offensive forces in this one. Joel Embiid (knee) remains on his recovery plan, and the Hornets haven't had LaMelo Ball (ankle) for weeks.
Per PBP Stats, Philly has an ugly 110.8 offensive rating (ORTG) in 17 games without Embiid this year, and Charlotte isn't to be outdone in games missing Ball (106.9 ORTG). These two teams also play at two of the six slowest paces in the NBA, which has morphed into a bottom-three tempo for each over their respective last 10 games while missing the stars.
Paul George and Miles Bridges recently returned to these lineups, but they're not enough to comfortably say both teams reach 100 points tonight. A three-point spread implies the other probably won't be very far ahead.
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors
Raptors Over 119.5 Points (-110)
The visiting Chicago Bulls have significant injury questions in the form of Zach LaVine (back), but the home side should score here.
Chicago's defense has leaked like a sieve all season. They sit fourth-worst in defensive rating (116.4 DRTG) while playing at the NBA's second-fastest tempo, wrapping into a whopping 118.7 points per game allowed.
Not only can the Toronto Raptors, 11th in the Association in pace, keep up, but we might be getting a few points of value baked on account of Scottie Barnes' absence with a long-term ankle injury. Toronto's ORTG in 12 games when Barnes didn't play (113.5) is actually better than their ORTG in 14 games where he has (110.5).
Against top-eight teams in pace this season, the Raptors are averaging 118.3 points per game. Add in the Bulls' poor defense, and expecting 120-plus is not far-fetched.
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings
Kings Moneyline (-126)
Moneyline
The Denver Nuggets seem to have pieced it back together, right?
In four games since Aaron Gordon returned to the starting lineup, the Nuggets are 3-1 with a +6.7 net rating (NRTG). I'm just not sure all is right as much as the competition got softer; Denver still has a -0.4 NRTG in games where their big three -- plus Gordon -- have all played. Christian Braun (back) is also truly questionable for this one.
It might be surprising to see the Sacramento Kings favored here. The Nuggets have beaten the Kings in four straight matchups, but this is the first with DeMar DeRozan in the fold, and the veteran has made a difference. Sacramento's +3.9 NRTG when DeRozan, De'Aaron Fox, and Domantas Sabonis have all played is simply superior.
87% of the money on FanDuel Sportsbook is coming behind Denver, but at a 40.1% cover rate, that's been a common theme for the NBA's second-worst team against the spread (ATS). I'd wait throughout Monday to back Sacramento; this could be a pick 'em by tip-off.
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.