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Kings vs. Lakers same-game parlay predictions Dec. 28: Bet on Davis, Reaves and DeRozan at +375

The Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers meet for the fourth time this season on Saturday.

The pregame narrative: It’s difficult for me to pick a side in this game, so I’m backing prop picks on Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and DeMar DeRozan in this late-night +375 SGP.

Check out my Kings vs. Lakers same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 28.

Kings vs. Lakers predictions

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Parlay: Davis over 11.5 rebounds + Reaves over 24.5 points/rebounds/assists + DeRozan over 19.5 points (+375)

Davis over 11.5 rebounds (-177): The Lakers’ star big man left the Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors with an ankle injury but stated that he will be playing Saturday.

Davis is listed as questionable. But if he’s available, he will play his normal minutes.

When the Lakers and Kings met for a two-game series before the holidays, Davis dominated on the glass.

Dec. 21 vs. Kings: 15 rebounds
Dec. 19 vs. Kings: 19 rebounds

Domantas Sabonis is a beast himself on the glass, so it makes sense that Davis would need to be extra attentive as a rebounder against the Kings.

Sabonis is questionable tonight, too, but even if he’s out, backup Alex Len is a traditional big that hangs out in the paint.

Either way, Davis will be needed around the rim in this matchup.

SGP legs

Reaves over 24.5 pts/ast/reb (-159): Reaves has stepped up as the third option for the Lakers lately.

He has 25+ PRA in five of his last six games.

Reaves recorded his first triple-double of the season (25 pts, 10 ast, 10 reb) on Christmas Day.

This line doesn’t require a massive performance, but that wouldn’t be surprising to see if LeBron James (questionable) ends up being ruled out.

Even with LeBron, Reaves has been averaging 35.2 minutes over the past five games and coach JJ Reddick is clearly finding trust in the fourth-year pro.

With the way Reaves has been playing, this seemed like a no-brainer to add to the SGP.

DeRozan over 19.5 points (-115): This is the riskiest wager of the three legs, but I have faith in DeRozan.

Earlier in the season, bettors wouldn’t see a line this low for the former Toronto Raptor, but he’s in a slump right now.

DeRozan has fallen under this point total in five straight games. But he always shows up when playing the Lakers in Los Angeles.

It’s his childhood team, after all.

DeRozan is 2-0 against this line in the two away games vs. the Lakers since the start of last season.

He finished with a 23-point, 9-for-12 performance in October.

I do believe Sabonis will be ruled out considering he missed the Kings’ last game and was absent from practice yesterday. That means DeRozan would step into a lead scoring role alongside De’Aaron Fox.

Even with his current slump, DeRozan is 15-11 against this line.

Picks made at 1:24 p.m. ET 12/28/2024

Suns vs. Warriors same-game parlay predictions Dec. 28: Bet on Golden State to win, Curry to shoot the lights out at +275

The Phoenix Suns visit the Golden State Warriors in a marquee Western Conference matchup.

The pregame narrative: The Suns have been struggling on the road lately, so I’ll take the Warriors at home. I have picks on Steph Curry and Kevin Durant to round out this +275 SGP.

Check out my Suns vs. Warriors same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 28.

Suns vs. Warriors predictions

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Parlay: Warriors moneyline + Durant over 28.5 points + Curry over 3.5 threes (+275)

Warriors moneyline (-220): I want to start by highlighting the last five road games for Phoenix:

Dec. 23 @ Denver: L (117-90)
Dec. 13 @ Utah: W (134-126)
Dec. 8 @ Orlando: L (115-110)
Dec. 7 @ Miami: L (121-111)
Dec. 5 @ New Orleans: L (126-124)

The Suns are now 1-7 in their past eight away games and 5-8 overall on the road.

Devin Booker remains sidelined for this contest and Phoenix is 1-3 this season without its star shooting guard.

The Warriors played yesterday in a 102-92 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, but Curry was out and he is expected to play tonight. That should provide a huge boost to Golden State’s offence.

Neither of these teams is playing great basketball right now, but I like this spot for the Warriors at home.

SGP legs

Durant over 28.5 points (-129): One player I’m confident will show up for the Suns is Durant.

In Phoenix’s 98-89 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, Durant scored 35 points, which equals 39.3% of the Suns’ offence for the entire game.

In his four games without Booker, the Slim Reaper is averaging 32.0 points. He shot above 53% in three of those four contests.

He has prime-level KD shooting splits this season at 51.5/42.0/84.2, and the absence of his co-star should mean more volume for the former MVP.

Curry over 3.5 threes (-250): Curry put on a show on Christmas Day, scoring 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers while making 8-of-15 threes.

The superstar point guard is also the most well-rested player on his team after missing Friday’s game.

Curry is a much more efficient shooter at home this season, averaging 4.9 threes on 10.5 attempts (46.7%).

Additionally, he’s 7-3 against this line at Chase Center. Everything points to Curry putting up another elite shooting performance at home.

Picks made at 11:48 a.m. ET 12/28/2024

Maple Leafs props vs. Capitals Dec. 28: Bet on Matthew Knies, John Carlson

The Toronto Maple Leafs play their second game in as many nights on Saturday, as they host the Washington Capitals.

The pregame narrative: The NHL is back in full swing and Auston Matthews is injured again. I’m backing Matthew Knies to contribute in his captain’s absence while also taking a prop pick on Washington’s John Carlson.

Check out our Maple Leafs props vs. Capitals for the game on Dec. 28.

Maple Leafs props vs. Capitals

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Best Bet: Knies to score 1+ points (+100)

Knies plays important minutes for the Leafs, especially with Auston Matthews it out.

In the captain’s six-game absence earlier this season, Knies had five points and went 4-2 against this line.

He was kept off the score sheet in Toronto’s 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings last night. He still played 20-plus minutes, however, which is a good sign.

Knies continues to skate on the second line with Leafs’ top goalscorer William Nylander, and he ascends to the first power-play unit when Matthews it out.

The Capitals haven’t played since Dec. 23, which may seem like a good rest but it could result in them needing some time to get into the game.

Toronto’s talented offence has the potential for a big night — even on the back-to-back — and I expect Knies to be involved.

Key stat: The winger has nine points in the last 11 games in which Matthews has been injured.

Quick pick

Carlson to score 1+ points (+110): Washington’s offence has been on a downswing after exploding earlier in the season.

In December, the Capitals are averaging 2.4 goals per game (they average 3.7 overall). It appears the absence of Alex Ovechkin is starting to take its toll.

But that doesn’t change the fact that Carlson plays a boatload of minutes (24:00 per night) and is still a top point contributor for his team.

Carlson hasn’t recorded a point in five straight, but he still has 23 points in 34 games this season.

The defenceman has a point in half of the Capitals’ games this year (17 of 34), so I see some value with this plus-money price.

Matt Murray makes his second start of the season for the Leafs and I’m not sold on the rust being gone this quickly. In his first appearance against the Sabres, he allowed three goals on 27 shots against (.889 SV%).

And since the Leafs played last night, this game could see a lot of goals. If so, I’m sure Carlson would be involved.

Picks made at 10:41 a.m. on 12/28/2024.

Maple Leafs props vs. Capitals Dec. 28: Bet on Matthew Knies, John Carlson

The Toronto Maple Leafs play their second game in as many nights on Saturday, as they host the Washington Capitals.

The pregame narrative: The NHL is back in full swing and Auston Matthews is injured again. I’m backing Matthew Knies to contribute in his captain’s absence while also taking a prop pick on Washington’s John Carlson.

Check out our Maple Leafs props vs. Capitals for the game on Dec. 28.

Maple Leafs props vs. Capitals

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Best Bet: Knies to score 1+ points (-106)

Knies plays important minutes for the Leafs, especially with Auston Matthews it out.

In the captain’s six-game absence earlier this season, Knies had five points and went 4-2 against this line.

He was kept off the score sheet in Toronto’s 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings last night. He still played 20-plus minutes, however, which is a good sign.

Knies continues to skate on the second line with Leafs’ top goalscorer William Nylander, and he ascends to the first power-play unit when Matthews it out.

The Capitals haven’t played since Dec. 23, which may seem like a good rest but it could result in them needing some time to get into the game.

Toronto’s talented offence has the potential for a big night — even on the back-to-back — and I expect Knies to be involved.

Key stat: The winger has nine points in the last 11 games in which Matthews has been injured.

Quick pick

Carlson to score 1+ points (+112): Washington’s offence has been on a downswing after exploding earlier in the season.

In December, the Capitals are averaging 2.4 goals per game (they average 3.7 overall). It appears the absence of Alex Ovechkin is starting to take its toll.

But that doesn’t change the fact that Carlson plays a boatload of minutes (24:00 per night) and is still a top point contributor for his team.

Carlson hasn’t recorded a point in five straight, but he still has 23 points in 34 games this season.

The defenceman has a point in half of the Capitals’ games this year (17 of 34), so I see some value with this plus-money price.

Matt Murray makes his second start of the season for the Leafs and I’m not sold on the rust being gone this quickly. In his first appearance against the Sabres, he allowed three goals on 27 shots against (.889 SV%).

And since the Leafs played last night, this game could see a lot of goals. If so, I’m sure Carlson would be involved.

Picks made at 10:31 a.m. on 12/28/2024.

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Top NFL Week 17 TD picks: Justin Jefferson has value to score against Green Bay

Two running backs and one star receiver make up Week 17’s NFL TD picks.

The pregame narrative: Justin Jefferson is coming alive at the right time of the season and I believe he will score this weekend. I also like the value on tailbacks James Cook and Tank Bigsby.

Check out the best NFL Week 17 TD picks for Sunday’s football games.

NFL Week 17 TD picks

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Best bet: Cook anytime TD (-138)

The Bills’ running back has picked up any slack left behind by Stefon Diggs by tallying 16 touchdowns in 14 games.

In the past 10 weeks, Cook has 11 scores, including back-to-back 100-yard performances against the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots in Weeks 15 and 16.

Cook is averaging an impressive 5.1 yards per carry and he’s only scored eight touchdowns from inside the red zone, per Fantasy Pros.

That means the tailback has scored half his touchdowns from outside the red zone which highlights his big play ability.

The New York Jets provide a fairly tough matchup but it’s clear to me at this point that Cook is matchup-proof — I want in on these odds.

Key stat: Cook has scored a TD in eight of his past 10 games.

Quick picks

Jefferson anytime TD (-120): From Weeks 12-16, Jefferson has been a beast near the end zone catching all seven of his red zone targets.

Jordan Addison has turned into a top WR2 for the Minnesota Vikings but this is still Jefferson’s offence.

Over the past three weeks, Jefferson has:

24 catches
349 yards
Five touchdowns

It appears JJettas is at 100% health again and he looks like the best receiver in the league going into the playoffs.

The Green Bay Packers provide a tough matchup but that’s the reason for the modest odds.

If the Vikings want to win this weekend, Jefferson will need to make his mark and I believe he’ll do so with another score.

Bigsby anytime TD (+137): The Jacksonville Jaguars’ leading rusher is seeing another uptick in volume.

Bigsby ran the ball 10-plus times in three straight weeks. He scored in two of those games.

He rushed seven times in the red zone since Week 13 and now gets a matchup where the Jaguars can potentially do damage.

The Tennessee Titans allow the 10th most rushing yards (129.9) per game and the second-most points (27.8).

Travis Etienne has yet to score a rushing touchdown this season and I suspect the Jaguars keep going to Bigsby who’s more of a between-the-tackles runner.

Picks made at 3:49 p.m. ET on 12/27/2024.

Top NFL Week 17 TD picks: Justin Jefferson has value to score against Green Bay

Two running backs and one star receiver make up Week 17’s NFL TD picks.

The pregame narrative: Justin Jefferson is coming alive at the right time of the season and I believe he will score this weekend. I also like the value on tailbacks James Cook and Tank Bigsby.

Check out the best NFL Week 17 TD picks for Sunday’s football games.

NFL Week 17 TD picks

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Embed: #104478

Best bet: Cook anytime TD (-127)

The Bills’ running back has picked up any slack left behind by Stefon Diggs by tallying 16 touchdowns in 14 games.

In the past 10 weeks, Cook has 11 scores, including back-to-back 100-yard performances against the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots in Weeks 15 and 16.

Cook is averaging an impressive 5.1 yards per carry and he’s only scored eight touchdowns from inside the red zone, per Fantasy Pros.

That means the tailback has scored half his touchdowns from outside the red zone which highlights his big play ability.

The New York Jets provide a fairly tough matchup but it’s clear to me at this point that Cook is matchup-proof — I want in on these odds.

Key stat: Cook has scored a TD in eight of his past 10 games.

Quick picks

Jefferson anytime TD (-121): From Weeks 12-16, Jefferson has been a beast near the end zone catching all seven of his red zone targets.

Jordan Addison has turned into a top WR2 for the Minnesota Vikings but this is still Jefferson’s offence.

Over the past three weeks, Jefferson has:

24 catches
349 yards
Five touchdowns

It appears JJettas is at 100% health again and he looks like the best receiver in the league going into the playoffs.

The Green Bay Packers provide a tough matchup but that’s the reason for the modest odds.

If the Vikings want to win this weekend, Jefferson will need to make his mark and I believe he’ll do so with another score.

Bigsby anytime TD (+140): The Jacksonville Jaguars’ leading rusher is seeing another uptick in volume.

Bigsby ran the ball 10-plus times in three straight weeks. He scored in two of those games.

He rushed seven times in the red zone since Week 13 and now gets a matchup where the Jaguars can potentially do damage.

The Tennessee Titans allow the 10th most rushing yards (129.9) per game and the second-most points (27.8).

Travis Etienne has yet to score a rushing touchdown this season and I suspect the Jaguars keep going to Bigsby who’s more of a between-the-tackles runner.

Picks made at 3:49 p.m. ET on 12/27/2024.

Cardinals vs. Rams Week 17 same-game parlay predictions: Bet on Puka Nacua in +320 wager

The Los Angeles Rams have a chance at a statement win over the Arizona Cardinals.

The pregame narrative: The Rams can lock up the division this weekend and I think they do their part with a win. I also have prop picks on Puka Nacua and Trey McBride in this +320 SGP.

Check out my Cardinals vs. Rams same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 28.

Cardinals vs. Rams same-game parlay predictions

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Parlay: Rams moneyline + Nacua over 86.5 receiving yards + McBride over 59.5 receiving yards (+320)

Rams moneyline (-278): Los Angeles is rolling right now. It has taken the lead over the Seattle Seahawks and can remain there with a win on Saturday.

And luckily for the Rams, Arizona is in a downward spiral. The side is 1-4 in the last five and has choked away any chance it had to make the playoffs.

L.A. is trending in the opposite direction, going 8-2 over its past 10 games. The offence is healthy and in my opinion, the Cardinals are in trouble.

Don’t forget about L.A.’s defence either. The unit has held its previous two opponents to less than 10 points each.

Arizona’s defence allows opponents to convert on third down 44.4% of the time. Matthew Stafford should lead his offence to an efficient performance against a weak defence.

The Cardinals have allowed two of their past three opponents to score 30 points. The other was the New England Patriots.

Other parlay picks

Nacua over 86.5 receiving yards (-115): I’m backing Nacua to lead the Rams’ offence.

The second-year wideout is 4-2 against this line over the last six weeks.

Nacua averages 6.9 catches on 9.2 targets per game despite leaving early in two of his 10 contests this season.

In my eyes, he’s clearly passed Cooper Kupp as the alpha receiver on the Rams and I’m sure the offence will make an effort to get Nacua past the 1,000-yard mark.

He can take advantage of a Cardinals’ defence that is struggling to contain anything right now.

McBride over 59.5 receiving yards (-141): The one constant force on the Cardinals’ offence is their tight end.

McBride cleared this mark in five of the last six games.

He leads the Cardinals in catches (92), receiving yards (958) and targets (120).

McBride has put up legit WR1 stats but weirdly hasn’t scored a receiving touchdown.

Kyler Murray took to social media to make a promise to Arizona fans:

https://twitter.com/brgridiron/status/1869236261879476653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1869236261879476653%7Ctwgr%5Ea4c9e4f2b8f6ea643bdeaccc0092bf487283b2ad%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F10147731-kyler-murray-i-promise-trey-mcbride-will-touch-the-endzone-soon-amid-td-drought

If Murray is force-feeding McBride, it would lead to extra receptions and yards — not that the TE needs any.

Picks made at 2:42 p.m. on 12/27/24.

Cavaliers vs. Nuggets same-game parlay predictions Dec. 27: Back Mitchell, Jokic at +360

The Cleveland Cavaliers head west for a battle with the Denver Nuggets.

The pregame narrative: Denver has been riding high at home so I’m backing the Nuggets on an alternate spread. I also have prop picks on Donovan Mitchell and Nikola Jokic in this +360 wager.

Check out my Cavaliers vs. Nuggets same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 27.

Cavaliers vs. Nuggets predictions

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Parlay: Nuggets +8 + Mitchell over 23.5 points + Jokic over 1.5 threes (+360)

Nuggets +8 (-335): The Nuggets are 8-1 over their last nine games at Ball Arena. During this hot streak, they’ve beaten the Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks (twice).

Cleveland carries the best record in the NBA (26-4) but has lost two of the last three on the road.

The momentum in this spot rides on the side of the Nuggets and I’m buying in.

Taking an extra handful of points gives this leg extra cushion even though I believe Denver has a good chance to win straight up.

SGP legs

Mitchell over 23.5 points (-120): Mitchell’s scoring production has taken a dip this season (23.3 PPG) but it’s more of a “too-much-talent” problem, which is an issue every team would love to have.

The dynamic guard can still score at a high level, shooting above 40% from three. It’s about finding the right matchup and I think this is it.

Denver allows the second-most points to shooting guards (24.5), per Fantasy Pros. The standard line in this game is Cavaliers -3 and as mentioned before, I expect the Nuggets to keep it close.

Cleveland leads the NBA with an average scoring margin of +11.6, per Team Rankings.

Blowout wins are another reason for Mitchell’s scoring dip. But a close game with a good individual matchup is a good reason to get behind him on Friday.

Jokic over 1.5 threes (-112): The MVP favourite has been an assassin from 3-point range this season.

Jokic is shooting 50.0% from three and he’s cleared this line in 14 of the last 16 games. The do-it-all big man has added a legit three-point shot to his arsenal.

Jamal Murray is questionable for the Nuggets and if he is out, Jokic will spend more time on the perimeter which would ideally lead to more 3-point attempts.

He’s been so efficient, however, only a few attempts are required for this leg to cash.

Picks made at 11:50 a.m. ET 12/27/2024

Best NBA prop bets Dec. 27: Picks on Tatum, Bitadze and Wembanyama

The NBA is back in full force and I have three prop bets to share.

The pregame narrative: Jayson Tatum has been on a roll for the Boston Celtics and I predict an efficient night from 3-point range. Elsewhere, I have picks on Goga Bitadze and Victor Wembanyama.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Dec. 27.

NBA prop bets

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Best bet: Tatum over 3.5 threes (-110)

I was swaying between Tatum’s points prop and his threes total before I noticed something interesting.

Every time the Celtics’ superstar has gone over 28.5 points (his current prop) since Nov. 6 (11 times), he’s also had 4 or more threes.

Tatum is playing out of his mind and making a case for MVP. He’s averaging 29.0 points per game and makes 4.0 three-pointers on 10.6 attempts.

The forward cleared this total in the past three games, scoring 30-plus in every contest including a 43-point explosion against the Chicago Bulls.

Indiana offers up similarly bad defence, giving up second-most points to opposing power forwards per game (25.4), per Fantasy Pros.

Key stat: Tatum has scored 30-plus points in nine straight games against the Pacers.

Quick picks

Bitadze under 9.5 rebounds (-118): Bitadze has been a brute for the Orlando Magic during his tenure as starting centre this season.

But he has a tough matchup tonight against one of the NBA’s premium rebounders.

Karl-Anthony Towns leads the association in rebounds per game (13.7) and the New York Knicks allow the second-fewest boards to the position (13.1).

The first time these teams met, Bitadze had 11 rebounds compared to KAT’s 22 but I expect both players to see regression on Friday.

Orlando played yesterday and lost 89-88 to the Miami Heat. A back-to-back means a blowout could be in the works here, which would be great for this under.

Wembanyama over 24.5 points (-120): The second-year phenom is starting to light up the NBA and it’s a scary scene.

Wembanyama scored 42 points on Christmas Day and has cleared this total in six of his last seven.

Over that span, he is averaging 33.9 minutes and 28.5 points on 20.4 shot attempts.

Those are the stats of an elite scorer yet Wembanyana is still getting modest lines, why?

Well, the Brooklyn Nets beat the Milwaukee Bucks last night meaning the San Antonio Spurs are 6.5-point favourites.

However, in Thursday’s game, Brook Lopez scored 20 points against the Nets and he averages 11.9 points per game.

To put it simply — Wembanyama could smash this total — even in limited minutes.

Picks made at 8:54 a.m. ET on 12/27/2024.

Best NBA prop bets Dec. 27: Picks on Tatum, Bitadze and Wembanyama

The NBA is back in full force and I have three prop bets to share.

The pregame narrative: Jayson Tatum has been on a roll for the Boston Celtics and I predict an efficient night from 3-point range. Elsewhere, I have picks on Goga Bitadze and Victor Wembanyama.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for Dec. 27.

NBA prop bets

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Embed: #104419

Best bet: Tatum over 3.5 threes (-105)

I was swaying between Tatum’s points prop and his threes total before I noticed something interesting.

Every time the Celtics’ superstar has gone over 28.5 points (his current prop) since Nov. 6 (11 times), he’s also had 4 or more threes.

Tatum is playing out of his mind and making a case for MVP. He’s averaging 29.0 points per game and makes 4.0 three-pointers on 10.6 attempts.

The forward cleared this total in the past three games, scoring 30-plus in every contest including a 43-point explosion against the Chicago Bulls.

Indiana offers up similarly bad defence, giving up second-most points to opposing power forwards per game (25.4), per Fantasy Pros.

Key stat: Tatum has scored 30-plus points in nine straight games against the Pacers.

Quick picks

Bitadze under 9.5 rebounds (-114): Bitadze has been a brute for the Orlando Magic during his tenure as starting centre this season.

But he has a tough matchup tonight against one of the NBA’s premium rebounders.

Karl-Anthony Towns leads the association in rebounds per game (13.7) and the New York Knicks allow the second-fewest boards to the position (13.1).

The first time these teams met, Bitadze had 11 rebounds compared to KAT’s 22 but I expect both players to see regression on Friday.

Orlando played yesterday and lost 89-88 to the Miami Heat. A back-to-back means a blowout could be in the works here, which would be great for this under.

Wembanyama over 24.5 points (-112): The second-year phenom is starting to light up the NBA and it’s a scary scene.

Wembanyama scored 42 points on Christmas Day and has cleared this total in six of his last seven.

Over that span, he is averaging 33.9 minutes and 28.5 points on 20.4 shot attempts.

Those are the stats of an elite scorer yet Wembanyana is still getting modest lines, why?

Well, the Brooklyn Nets beat the Milwaukee Bucks last night meaning the San Antonio Spurs are 6.5-point favourites.

However, in Thursday’s game, Brook Lopez scored 20 points against the Nets and he averages 11.9 points per game.

To put it simply — Wembanyama could smash this total — even in limited minutes.

Picks made at 8:54 a.m. ET on 12/27/2024.