NBA Betting Picks for Tuesday 12/5/23: Lakers Look to Put On a Show

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 daily projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to winning big.

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.

NBA Best Bets

New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks

Over 229 (-108)

The second night of quarterfinal games for the NBA's In-Season Tournament takes place on Tuesday. The New York Knicks against the Milwaukee Bucks is the first game of the doubleheader. Both teams come in hot with the Knicks holding a 7-3 record over their previous 10 games while the Bucks are 8-2 during that span.

Milwaukee has been one of the league's best offenses for the entire season, holding the fourth-best mark in offensive rating while averaging 121.1 points per game (third-best) with a 57.4% effective field goal percentage (second-best). Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.9 PPG; 119.2 offensive rating) and Damian Lillard (25.5 PPG; 117.3 offensive rating) have not disappointed as one of the NBA's top scoring duos.

Guarding Giannis and Lillard could be a problem for New York (join the club). While the Knicks boast the Association's third-best defensive rating, they give up 34.8 three-point shots per game (15th-worst) paired with opponents shooting 54.1% on two-pointers. Lillard leads the Bucks with 8.4 three-point attempts per game and is tied for the ninth-highest mark in the league with 152 three-point shots on the season. Antetokounmpo shoots 74.0% of his attempts within 10 feet of the basket while converting 70.9% of the looks.

The Bucks' star duo could be poised for big games. According to FanDuel's NBA lines, Giannis has a projected scoring total of 30.5 while Lillard is at 25.5.

New York's offense could also find success against the NBA's 10th-worst defensive rating. Milwaukee gives up 118.1 PPG (8th-worst) and 36.2 three-point shots per game (12th-worst). The Knicks have the 12th-best offensive rating thanks to their exceptional three-point shooting -- 12th-most attempts per game (3PA) and 7th-best three-point percentage.

Lillard (114.7 defensive rating) and Malik Beasley (115.8 defensive rating) are the defensive weak points of the Bucks' starting lineup. This could allow several of New York's sharpshooters to excel. Jalen Brunson (24.9 PPG; 7.0 3PA), Immanuel Quickley (15.4 PPG; 5.6 3PA), Donte DiVincenzo (9.2 PPG; 5.2 3PA), and RJ Barrett (18.6 PPG; 5.1 3PA) are notable guards who are efficient from beyond the arc.

The over is 13-7 in Milwaukee games this season, and it's hit in three consecutive contests. Even with the NBA's second-slowest pace, the over is 3-1 in the Knicks' previous four games.

Both offenses have favorable matchups for tonight's clash. Give me the over.

Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers -1.5 (-110)

For the nightcap between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers, several key players are questionable. Phoenix's Eric Gordon (14.7 PPG) is questionable with a knee injury, and LeBron James is questionable for LA due to a calf setback. Plus, the Suns will be without Bradley Beal for the 11th consecutive game.

Not everything has been bad on the injury front for the Lakers, though. Jarred Vanderbilt made his season debut in the previous game; he could be a key defender for attempting to slow Phoenix's Kevin Durant (31.0 PPG; 33.2% usage rate). Rui Hachimura (11.8 PPG) is also expected to return from injury.

Of course, if LeBron is out, taking down the Suns will be a tall task. James leads the team with 24.4 PPG and a 29.7% usage rate. Phoenix also gives up the fifth-most PPG against power forwards, giving LeBron an opportunity to dominate in this matchup. He also has the best defensive rating in the starting lineup at 111.1, making him a key in defending Durant.

Slowing Devin Booker may be the Lakers' toughest task. He has averaged 27.9 PPG and leads the team with a 33.3% usage rate. Booker has slotted the point guard spot due to Beal's injury. Los Angeles gives up the ninth-most PPG against point guards. Austin Reaves (117.0 defensive rating) has been a liability on defense. The Lakers must attempt to avoid Reaves guarding Booker.

LA has the tools to take away several of the Suns' strengths. For example, Phoenix averages the third-most free throw attempts per game while the Lakers give up the fewest free throws per game. The Suns also have the ninth-best offensive rebounding percentage, but Los Angeles totals the third-most defensive rebounds per game. Anthony Davis has been a monster on the boards with 12.5 rebounds per game (RPG), the second-highest average in the league.

Both teams are among the top four in the fewest field goal attempts per game. With fewer shot opportunities, this game could favor the best defensive team. This category will likely go to the Lakers, for they have the 9th-best defensive rating compared to Phoenix with the 13th-worst mark. LA's ability to limit free throw attempts could also be a huge help in a potential defensive battle.

The Suns have lost three consecutive games against the spread (ATS). The Lakers could be poised for a win and cover, advancing to the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament.

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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.