NBA Archives - Page 19 of 146

Rockets vs. Kings SGP predictions Dec. 21: Bet on Reed Sheppard to continue breakout season

The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings headline Sunday’s NBA action.

The pregame narrative: These are two teams with opposite aspirations at this point in the season. The Rockets can build on yesterday’s victory over the Denver Nuggets with another win over the Kings, who sit in the basement of the Western Conference standings.

Check out my Rockets vs. Kings SGP predictions for Dec. 21, featuring Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun.

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Rockets vs. Kings predictions

Parlay: Rockets ML | Sheppard over 2.5 threes | Sengun over 9.5 rebounds (+300)

Rockets ML (-625): I’ll keep this portion short and sweet … the Kings are a bad basketball team.

They sit 15th in the west and are 1-9 in their last 10 games. Both Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine will be out for this contest as both All-Stars continue to recover from injuries.

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That leaves a thin roster to work with, and it’s been apparent in the results. Sacramento is on a five-game losing streak, averaging 107.8 points per game.

Over the full season, that would be the worst offence in the NBA.

Even though the Rockets are on a back-to-back, they are far superior to the Kings, so it shouldn’t matter.

After losing the first two games of the season, Houston has won 17 of 23 games, catapulting the squad firmly into a playoff position.

Earlier this month, they dismantled the Kings with LaVine, 121-95.

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NBA SGP legs

Sheppard over 2.5 threes (+104): The second-year pro is starting to find his groove at the NBA level. He is averaging 13.4 points while canning 44.2% of his 3s.

The guard attempts 6.2 shots from beyond the arc a night, so that efficiency is extremely impressive.

And he’s coming off a great outing against the Denver Nuggets. He hit six of nine triples, finishing with 27 points.

Sheppard played over 30 minutes in that contest and should be asked to do a lot of heavy lifting again tonight, being one of the youngest players on the roster.

If that’s the case, he should at the very least take a handful of 3s, which is plenty enough for him to clear this mark.

The Kings allow the fourth most points per game to shooting guards (23.48).

-> Back LeBron and Doncic on Saturday night

Sengun over 9.5 rebounds (-117): Another position the Kings struggle to contain is centre.

Big men average 16.76 rebounds per game against Sacramento, which is the most in the NBA.

The Kings are missing Sabonis inside. They don’t have a suitable replacement for the three-time rebounding champ.

Sengun is averaging right around this number of rebounds (9.3), but he should be in for above-average performance on the glass tonight.

He had double-digit rebounds in four of the past five games, including 10 boards against the Kings on Dec. 3.

Sengun played under 30 minutes in that game because the Rockets won by close to 30. That proves he can cash this wager even if with a lopsided score.

Rockets vs. Kings predictions made at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2025.

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Best NBA prop picks Dec. 21: Back Wembanyama, Quickley and Durant on Sunday

Victor Wembanyama headlines Sunday’s NBA prop bets.

Today’s NBA props narrative: Wembanyama has been eased in since returning from injury, and is still on a minutes restriction. But he’s capable of doing big damage in small amounts of time, and has a great matchup against the Washington Wizards.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Dec. 21, featuring Immanuel Quickley and Kevin Durant.

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NBA prop picks Dec. 21

Best bet: Wembanyama over 19.5 points (-118)

San Antonio is a 15.5-point favourite in this matchup, so the biggest worry is that Wembanyama will play fewer than 15 minutes in a blowout win.

That’s pretty much what happened when these teams met on Thursday, in a game the Spurs won by 25:

17 minutes
15 points
11 field-goal attempts

Wemby fell shy of this number, but has had at least 18 points in each of his other three games since returning from injury. That includes a 26-point outing on Friday night in 21 minutes.

-> See full props for Spurs vs. Wizards!

I could see a world where Wembanyama scores 20 points in just 15 minutes of play against Washington.

The Wizards have the worst defensive rating in the NBA and rank 25th in opposing true shooting percentage.

And it’s not like Wembanyama hasn’t torched them before.

Key stat: Before Thursday, Wembanyama averaged 31.8 PPG in four games against Washington and went 4-0 against this line.

Best NBA picks

Quickley over 15.5 points (-110): The Toronto Raptors are on the second leg of a back-to-back after falling to the Boston Celtics last night.

That shapes up well for Quickley, who has been an assassin on no rest this year (five games played):

19.6 PPG
47.9 FG%
40.0 3PT%

All three of those marks are a notable tick up from his season-long numbers.

Quickley was awful yesterday, going 1-for-12 from the floor against Boston, but I like his chances of bouncing back against the Brooklyn Nets.

The point guard has scored 20-plus points in four of his five meetings against Brooklyn since joining Toronto.

And the Nets have the fourth-worst 3-point defence in the NBA, meaning Quickley can rack up points hastily.

-> Full betting markets for Sunday’s NBA slate

NBA player prop predictions

Durant 25+ points (-125): Durant is still one of the purest bucket-getters in the game.

He’s averaging 25.4 PPG this year, which is his lowest mark since 2016-17, but is shooting a clinical 51.5% from the field and 44.3% from deep.

He’s been even better from 3-point land in December, cashing 2.5 threes per game at a 55.6% clip.

-> Bet on Durant to reach the 25-point milestone!

I expect Durant to lean on his mid-range game tonight, though.

His opponent, the Sacramento Kings, have the second-worst mid-range defence in the NBA, letting opponents shoot 50.3% from that area of the court, per Cleaning the Glass.

KD attempts 61% of his shots from the mid-range, which ranks in the 100th percentile among all forwards.

NBA prop picks made at 10 a.m. ET on Dec. 21, 2025.

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Best NBA prop picks Dec. 21: Back Wembanyama, Quickley and Durant on Sunday

Victor Wembanyama headlines Sunday’s NBA prop bets.

Today’s NBA props narrative: Wembanyama has been eased in since returning from injury, and is still on a minutes restriction. But he’s capable of doing big damage in small amounts of time, and has a great matchup against the Washington Wizards.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Dec. 21, featuring Immanuel Quickley and Kevin Durant.

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NBA prop picks Dec. 21

Best bet: Wembanyama over 18.5 points (-120)

San Antonio is a 15.5-point favourite in this matchup, so the biggest worry is that Wembanyama will play fewer than 15 minutes in a blowout win.

That’s pretty much what happened when these teams met on Thursday, in a game the Spurs won by 25:

17 minutes
15 points
11 field-goal attempts

Wemby fell shy of this number, but has had at least 18 points in each of his other three games since returning from injury. That includes a 26-point outing on Friday night in 21 minutes.

-> See full props for Spurs vs. Wizards!

I could see a world where Wembanyama scores 20 points in just 15 minutes of play against Washington.

The Wizards have the worst defensive rating in the NBA and rank 25th in opposing true shooting percentage.

And it’s not like Wembanyama hasn’t torched them before.

Key stat: Before Thursday, Wembanyama averaged 31.8 PPG in four games against Washington and went 4-0 against this line.

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Best NBA picks

Quickley 15+ points (-129): The Toronto Raptors are on the second leg of a back-to-back after falling to the Boston Celtics last night.

That shapes up well for Quickley, who has been an assassin on no rest this year (five games played):

19.6 PPG
47.9 FG%
40.0 3PT%

All three of those marks are a notable tick up from his season-long numbers.

Quickley was awful yesterday, going 1-for-12 from the floor against Boston, but I like his chances of bouncing back against the Brooklyn Nets.

The point guard has scored 20-plus points in four of his five meetings against Brooklyn since joining Toronto.

And the Nets have the fourth-worst 3-point defence in the NBA, meaning Quickley can rack up points hastily.

-> Full betting markets for Sunday’s NBA slate

NBA player prop predictions

Durant 25+ points (-129): Durant is still one of the purest bucket-getters in the game.

He’s averaging 25.4 PPG this year, which is his lowest mark since 2016-17, but is shooting a clinical 51.5% from the field and 44.3% from deep.

He’s been even better from 3-point land in December, cashing 2.5 threes per game at a 55.6% clip.

-> Bet on Durant to reach the 25-point milestone!

I expect Durant to lean on his mid-range game tonight, though.

His opponent, the Sacramento Kings, have the second-worst mid-range defence in the NBA, letting opponents shoot 50.3% from that area of the court, per Cleaning the Glass.

KD attempts 61% of his shots from the mid-range, which ranks in the 100th percentile among all forwards.

NBA prop picks made at 10 a.m. ET on Dec. 21, 2025.

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Lakers vs. Clippers SGP predictions Dec. 20: Bet on LeBron James and Luka Doncic at +320

The Battle of Los Angeles is renewed tonight when the Clippers host the Lakers at Intuit Dome.

The pregame narrative: The Lakers have been the much better team this season, compiling a 19-7 record compared to their cross-town rivals’ 6-21 mark. This matchup is practically a pick’em, though with Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton out for the visitors.

Check out my Lakers vs. Clippers SGP predictions for Dec. 20, featuring Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

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Lakers vs. Clippers predictions

Parlay: Clippers +8.5 | Doncic 10+ assists | James 2+ threes (+320)

Clippers +8.5 (-435): Reaves’ absence shouldn’t be understated tonight. The guard is having the best season of his career, averaging career highs in points (27.8), rebounds (5.6), and assists (6.7).

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He’s unquestionably the No. 2 star on the team behind Doncic, having eclipsed LeBron in productivity this year.

As for Ayton, the big man is contributing a tidy 15.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game on 71% shooting.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lakers still won this game thanks to a herculean effort from Doncic, but don’t think they should run away with it.

The Clippers are fully healthy and have a solid starting five. The team’s bench has been the real issue, but that should be mitigated given the Lakers’ injury concerns.

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NBA SGP legs

Doncic 10+ assists (-107): The Clippers should be double-teaming Doncic on every possession tonight. If they do, I’m confident the Slovenian can work some magic as a passer.

Doncic is third in assists per game so far (9.1) and ranks sixth in potential assists per game (14.6), which NBA.com denotes as a pass leading directly to a shot.

He has averaged 11.8 assists in his last five games without Reaves, which dispels any idea that he’ll be purely in shoot-first mode tonight.

The Clippers allow the sixth-most assists per game to point guards, per Fantasy Pros.

-> Back LeBron and Doncic on Saturday night

James 2+ threes (-129): In a perfect world, Doncic is lining them up, and James is knocking ’em down.

The King is having a dreadful 3-point shooting year, posting a career-worst 26.1% rate. But that has to change at some point, right?

It’s not like we’ve seen LeBron steadily decline. He reshaped his game in recent years to be more 3-point heavy, and shot 37.6% and 41.0% from deep in the last two seasons.

Tonight should be a good matchup for LeBron to get some mojo going.

The Clippers have the worst 3-point defence in the NBA (38.9%).

Lakers vs. Clippers predictions made at 1:50 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2025.

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Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets Dec. 20: Back Scottie Barnes to fill stat sheet

The Toronto Raptors return home for a game against the Boston Celtics before heading back out for a road trip.

The latest: Toronto will want to take advantage of the opportunity to win a third straight game. That won’t be easy against the Boston Celtics, who are surging up the Eastern Conference standings.

Check out my Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets for Dec. 20, featuring predictions on Scottie Barnes and Derrick White.

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Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets

Best bet: Barnes over 33.5 points/rebounds/assists (-110)

The Raptors and Celtics met in December already and Barnes filled the stat sheet in that contest.

He had 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. It was a showcase of his versatile skill set.

Barnes now has 14 double-doubles in 28 games, which is impressive for a non-centre.

Overall, he’s averaging 19.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists, which is more than what is needed out of him tonight to cash this pick.

-> Full Celtics vs. Raptors prop markets at NorthStar Bets

Plus, I believe he is in for a scoring uptick with RJ Barrett remaining sidelined for this contest.

In 11 games without Barrett, Barnes is averaging 20.5 points.

The six days off seem to have worked wonders for the Raptors. They won consecutive games following the break, and Barnes had a pair of double-doubles.

At home, the Raptors should continue building momentum behind a monstrous performance from their young stud.

Key stat: Barnes is 8-3 against this line without Barrett in the lineup.

-> Wager on Saturday’s 10-game NBA slate

Raptors picks and predictions

White over 4.5 threes (-120): I still like this prop for White even at a 4.5 line.

It’s easy to understand why when looking at his recent performances.

Dec. 19 vs. Miami: 33 points, 9-for-14 3PT

Dec. 15 vs. Detroit: 31 points, 5-for-12 3PT

Dec. 7 @ Toronto: 27 points, 6-for-15 3PT

-> Bet on Barnes and White tonight!

That’s just a few examples from a long list of high-volume performances from the sharpshooter.

He’s 6-3 against this wager over his past nine games.

During that span, he averaged 4.9 threes on a whopping 11.4 attempts (42.7%). He attempted 103 three-pointers in those games, compared to only 48 two-point attempts.

White has a rare mix of high volume and elite efficiency, so this line is frankly too low.

Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets made at 1:17 p.m. ET on Dec. 20, 2025.

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Best NBA prop picks Dec. 20: Fade Ausar Thompson, back Mark Williams, Shaedon Sharpe

I’ve got three NBA prop picks from Saturday’s loaded slate.

Today’s NBA props narrative: Ausar Thompson is worth fading against a sneakily good Charlotte Hornets defence. Elsewhere, look for Mark Williams and Shaedon Sharpe to clear their respective rebounding and point totals.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Dec. 20.

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NBA prop picks Dec. 20

Best bet: Thompson under 18.5 PRA (-118)

Hornets? Sneakily good defence? Ok, I should clarify by saying the Hornets have a sneakily good interior defence.

Charlotte gets torched from beyond the arc, allowing 3s at the second-highest rate in the NBA (38.5%).

But Thompson rarely shoots from deep (he’s attempted four 3s in his last 15 games) and will have to navigate past rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner in the paint.

Kalkbrenner earned the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award with Creighton last year, and now, Charlotte has the eighth-best rim defence in the league, per Cleaning the Glass.

-> See full props for Hornets vs. Pistons!

Thompson isn’t a big scorer to begin with, averaging 11.4 points to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

That 19.6 PRA average is right in line with this number and is worth fading in a tough matchup.

Key stat: The Hornets are allowing the seventh-fewest rebounds and 11th-fewest assists per game to opposing small forwards, per Fantasy Pros.

Best NBA picks

Sharpe over 24.5 points (-118): I wanted to find one Trail Blazer to back in tonight’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento is one of the league’s worst teams, ranking 27th in defensive rating and 29th in net rating. It has lost eight of its last nine games while allowing 121.1 points a night.

Enter Sharpe, who is running hot and just lit up the Kings for 26 points on Thursday.

-> Full betting markets for Friday’s five-game NBA slate

The fourth-year guard is averaging 24.3 PPG this month and doesn’t rely heavily on the 3-point ball. Sharpe takes 36% of his shots at the rim and another 32% in the mid-range.

Sacramento has the worst rim and mid-range defence in the NBA.

NBA player prop predictions

Williams 10+ rebounds (+110): One of the first things I do when searching for player props is see who the Warriors are playing.

If it’s a team with a solid big man, like Williams, I’ll consider taking the over on his rebounding total.

Golden State has one of the most undersized lineups in the NBA, with just one rotational player standing above 6-foot-8. That’s sophomore 7-foot centre Quinten Post, and he doesn’t do much on the glass.

Post is averaging 5.3 rebounds in just over 25 minutes a night in December.

-> Bet on Williams vs. the Warriors!

Williams is having a rough go lately, but he will be the biggest body whenever he’s on the court, and had a monster 16-rebound game against the Warriors earlier this year.

The big man just played Golden State and had four rebounds in 19 minutes, but I don’t expect a repeat performance on Saturday.

NBA prop picks made at 10 a.m. ET on Dec. 20, 2025.

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Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets Dec. 20: Back Scottie Barnes to fill stat sheet

The Toronto Raptors return home for a game against the Boston Celtics before heading back out for a road trip.

The latest: Toronto will want to take advantage of the opportunity to win a third straight game. That won’t be easy against the Boston Celtics, who are surging up the Eastern Conference standings.

Check out my Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets for Dec. 20, featuring predictions on Scottie Barnes and Derrick White.

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Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets

Best bet: Barnes over 32.5 points/rebounds/assists (-105)

The Raptors and Celtics met in December already and Barnes filled the stat sheet in that contest.

He had 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. It was a showcase of his versatile skill set.

Barnes now has 14 double-doubles in 28 games, which is impressive for a non-centre.

Overall, he’s averaging 19.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists, which is more than what is needed out of him tonight to cash this pick.

-> Full Celtics vs. Raptors prop markets at NorthStar Bets

Plus, I believe he is in for a scoring uptick with RJ Barrett remaining sidelined for this contest.

In 11 games without Barrett, Barnes is averaging 20.5 points.

The six days off seem to have worked wonders for the Raptors. They won consecutive games following the break, and Barnes had a pair of double-doubles, going 2-0 on this wager.

At home, the Raptors should continue building momentum behind a monstrous performance from their young stud.

Key stat: Barnes is 8-3 against this line without Barrett in the lineup.

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-> Wager on Saturday’s 10-game NBA slate

Raptors picks and predictions

White over 3.5 threes (-132): When starting my research, I fully expected White’s 3-point prop to be 4.5 rather than 3.5.

It’s easy to understand why when looking at his recent performances.

Dec. 19 vs. Miami: 33 points, 9-for-14 3PT

Dec. 15 vs. Detroit: 31 points, 5-for-12 3PT

Dec. 7 @ Toronto: 27 points, 6-for-15 3PT

-> Bet on Barnes and White tonight!

That’s just a few examples from a long list of high-volume performances from the sharpshooter.

He’s 7-2 against this wager over his past nine games. To add, he hit 5+ threes in six of those games.

During that span, he averaged 4.9 threes on a whopping 11.4 attempts (42.7%). He attempted 103 three-pointers in those games, compared to only 48 two-point attempts.

White has a rare mix of high volume and elite efficiency, so this line is frankly too low. If he keeps it up, this could be one of the last times bettors get this number before it goes up to 4.5.

Celtics vs. Raptors prop bets made at 9:55 a.m. ET on Dec. 20, 2025.

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Best NBA prop picks Dec. 20: Fade Ausar Thompson, back Mark Williams, Shaedon Sharpe

I’ve got three NBA prop picks from Saturday’s loaded slate.

Today’s NBA props narrative: Ausar Thompson is worth fading against a sneakily good Charlotte Hornets defence. Elsewhere, look for Mark Williams and Shaedon Sharpe to clear their respective rebounding and point totals.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Dec. 20.

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NBA prop picks Dec. 20

Best bet: Thompson under 19.5 PRA (-120)

Hornets? Sneakily good defence? Ok, I should clarify by saying the Hornets have a sneakily good interior defence.

Charlotte gets torched from beyond the arc, allowing 3s at the second-highest rate in the NBA (38.5%).

But Thompson rarely shoots from deep (he’s attempted four 3s in his last 15 games) and will have to navigate past rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner in the paint.

Kalkbrenner earned the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award with Creighton last year, and now, Charlotte has the eighth-best rim defence in the league, per Cleaning the Glass.

-> See full props for Hornets vs. Pistons!

Thompson isn’t a big scorer to begin with, averaging 11.4 points to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

That 19.6 PRA average is right in line with this number and is worth fading in a tough matchup.

Key stat: The Hornets are allowing the seventh-fewest rebounds and 11th-fewest assists per game to opposing small forwards, per Fantasy Pros.

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Best NBA picks

Sharpe over 24.5 points (-113): I wanted to find one Trail Blazer to back in tonight’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento is one of the league’s worst teams, ranking 27th in defensive rating and 29th in net rating. It has lost eight of its last nine games while allowing 121.1 points a night.

Enter Sharpe, who is running hot and just lit up the Kings for 26 points on Thursday.

-> Full betting markets for Friday’s five-game NBA slate

The fourth-year guard is averaging 24.3 PPG this month and doesn’t rely heavily on the 3-point ball. Sharpe takes 36% of his shots at the rim and another 32% in the mid-range.

Sacramento has the worst rim and mid-range defence in the NBA.

NBA player prop predictions

Williams 10+ rebounds (-106): One of the first things I do when searching for player props is see who the Warriors are playing.

If it’s a team with a solid big man, like Williams, I’ll consider taking the over on his rebounding total.

Golden State has one of the most undersized lineups in the NBA, with just one rotational player standing above 6-foot-8. That’s sophomore 7-foot centre Quinten Post, and he doesn’t do much on the glass.

Post is averaging 5.3 rebounds in just over 25 minutes a night in December.

-> Bet on Williams vs. the Warriors!

Williams is having a rough go lately, but he will be the biggest body whenever he’s on the court, and had a monster 16-rebound game against the Warriors earlier this year.

The big man just played Golden State and had four rebounds in 19 minutes, but I don’t expect a repeat performance on Saturday.

NBA prop picks made at 10 a.m. ET on Dec. 20, 2025.

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Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP predictions Dec. 19: Bet on Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren to lead OKC to victory

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves headline Friday’s five-game NBA slate.

The pregame narrative: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having another MVP-calibre season, and I expect him to continue his dominance against the T-Wolves. Chet Holmgren leads the supporting cast and should be able to have another strong outing to add to his incredible month.

Check out my +480 Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP, featuring SGA and Holmgren.

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Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP

Parlay: Thunder -5.5 | Holmgren over 16.5 points | Gilgeous-Alexander 2+ threes (+480)

Thunder -5.5 (-167): The first thing to note here is that Anthony Edwards is in danger of missing this game with a foot injury. He is a game-time decision, but he has missed three straight games so far.

If he’s unavailable, the T-Wolves would be shorthanded for this matchup.

And that won’t fly against the Thunder. OKC is 24-2 on the season with an incredible 12-1 record on the road.

Even with Edwards in the lineup, this is an extremely tough matchup for any team.

-> Don’t miss out — make your own Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP here!

The Thunder lead the NBA with a +16.9 average score margin. That means they win by an average of almost 17 points a night.

For context, the next closest team is Denver at +9.4.

This is a historically good team that has covered this spread in 15 of its past 16 wins. If I’m backing the Thunder to win, then it makes sense to take them on an alternate spread for a juicier price.

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NBA SGP legs

Holmgren over 16.5 points (-114): Holmgren has been turning it up a notch as a scorer. Take a look at his last eight games:

20.8 points per game
63.0 FG%
53.8 3PT%
7-1 against this line

In the one game he missed this mark, he finished with 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting.

It’s been a while since the big man has had a bad game, and I believe he can keep the trend going with another big performance tonight.

-> Bet on Holmgren now at NorthStar Bets

The Timberwolves have a top-10 defence, but it shouldn’t matter at the moment.

Holmgren is matchup-proof right now and recently cleared this mark against a top-five defence (Golden State Warriors).

Gilgeous-Alexander 2+ threes (-104): The reigning MVP has become an even more efficient scorer, which seemed impossible.

But it’s true. He’s shooting an incredible 55.9% from the field and 43.2% from 3.

He only takes 5.1 three-point attempts per game, but the low volume doesn’t deter him from averaging over 2.0 makes per night.

-> Bet on Friday’s 5-game NBA slate

SGA often only needs a handful of shots to clear this mark. The good news is, he has been taking more 3s lately.

He’s cleared this line in four of the past five games while attempting six or more 3s in three of those contests.

Overall, he’s 18-9 against this wager this season, so he only needs a standard performance to cash this pick.

Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP made at 9:37 a.m. ET on Dec. 19, 2025.

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Best NBA prop picks Dec. 19: Back Jalen Johnson, Joel Embiid and Mikal Bridges

Friday’s NBA slate features just five games, and I’m zoning in on a matchup between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers for two of these prop bets.

Today’s NBA props narrative: Joel Embiid is rounding into form after an injury-plagued start to the season and should be able to clear a modest point total tonight. Speaking of injuries, the Knicks are missing several key bodies, making Mikal Bridges an intriguing target.

Check out my top NBA prop picks for Dec 19, featuring a best bet on Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson.

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NBA prop picks Dec. 19

Best bet: Johnson over 23.5 points (-125)

Johnson went nuclear for the Hawks last night against the Charlotte Hornets.

43 points
11 rebounds
9 assists

That was also Trae Young’s first game back from injury, and the all-star point guard didn’t try to drive much offence. Young scored just eight points on eight attempts in 20 minutes.

I’m not sure if Young will play in tonight’s back-to-back after recovering from a knee injury. But if he does, he will likely be on a minutes restriction, meaning Johnson will be the top dog against the San Antonio Spurs.

-> See full props for Spurs vs. Hawks!

And San Antonio is dealing with a similar situation regarding Victor Wembanyma.

The superstar returned this week, has been on a minutes restriction, and played last night, putting his status for tonight’s matchup in doubt.

Johnson would be in better shape to fill the basket if he didn’t have to deal with the 7-foot-4 defensive menace, but I like his chances of clearing this total regardless.

In his lone game against Wembanyama, Johnson scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting.

The Hawks’ power forward is averaging a career-high 23.6 PPG and has cleared this mark in six of his last 10 games.

Key stat: Johnson is averaging 29.5 points in his four games on no rest this year.

Best NBA picks

Embiid over 22.5 points (-106): Embiid is questionable for tonight’s game with an illness. If he suits up, this should be a good matchup for him to run wild.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart are all out. Those are two big bodies and a premier defender Embiid won’t have to deal with.

-> Full betting markets for Friday’s five-game NBA slate

The former scoring champ is averaging 22.3 PPG in December while taking 19.3 shots per game. That type of volume should put Embiid in a good position to clear this line on a nightly basis.

He scored 22 points his last time out and 39 the game before that.

NBA player prop predictions

Bridges over 16.5 points (-125): Bridges has a Grade-A opportunity to fill the basket with those aforementioned Knicks sidelined.

Jalen Brunson will be the primary scorer, but Bridges and OG Anunoby are next in line.

-> Bet on 76ers vs. Knicks in New York!

I feel better about backing Bridges because of his consistency:

10+ points in 16 straight games
14+ points in 13 of his last 16
16+ points in 9 of his last 16

The forward hasn’t been great on back-to-backs this year, but it’s a small three-game sample. Last season, he averaged 16.9 points on 50.8% shooting in 16 games.

NBA prop picks made at 10 a.m. ET on Dec. 18, 2025.

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