Another week in the Association will wrap up with a small seven-game slate for Sunday, Dec. 11. While it might not be the most juicy schedule, it still provides an opportunity for NBA bettors to have some action today. Let’s dive into the slate and identify the best NBA bets for Sunday.
A Western Conference showdown between the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans figures to be the main event today. But we are staying away from that game, especially since it is slated to take place in the afternoon. Instead, we are hyper-focused on a trio of evening games for tonight’s best bets.
Whether you choose to fade or follow, be sure to check out the OddsShopper tool for the best NBA odds.
Best NBA Bets For Sunday
New York Knicks (-2.5) vs. Sacramento Kings
The Knicks are playing better of late and we are happy to ride the hot hand with this single-possession spread. New York has won three games in a row, covering the spread in all three outings, with all three victories coming by at least nine points.
New York has defeated the Charlotte Hornets (121-102), Atlanta Hawks (113-89), and Cleveland Cavaliers (92-81) over this run. The Knicks are now .500 on the year with a 13-13 overall record, while posting a 12-2-2 clip against the spread.
But New York was showing progress before this recent run, especially once Tom Thibodeau started tinkering with the lineup and reducing minutes for the likes of Cam Reddish and Derrick Rose. The Knicks are playing better on the defensive end, ranking inside the top-10 in both 2-point and 3-point defensive field goal percentage. That defense will be put to the test against the Kings, who rank second in the league in scoring with an average of 118.8 points per game.
The Knicks haven’t won four games yet this season, and they haven’t been above .500 since Nov. 16. A win tonight will accomplish both feats, let’s just hope it is by three points or more.
Kings-Knicks prediction: Knicks -2.5 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
Detroit Pistons (+5.5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Similar to the Knicks, the Lakers have played much better of late after a slow start to the season. Unlike New York, I’m betting against Los Angeles today because this team needs to prove it can win by multiple possessions at this point.
The Lakers have dropped three in a row after stepping up in competition, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers (116-102), Toronto Raptors (126-113), and Philadelphia 76ers (133-122) all on the road. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both probable, and the latter star should shred Detroit’s defense. Davis scored 38 points against the Pistons last time out.
The Pistons (7-21) are obviously an inferior squad, and remain without Cade Cunningham, so the Lakers should win this game. I’m just betting on Detroit staying within striking distance at home, especially with Los Angeles losing a bit of its momentum entering this matchup.
Lakers-Pistons prediction: Pistons +5.5 (-108) at FanDuel Sportsbook
Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls Under 233.5 points
This game very well could end up being a bit of a scoring bonanza, but my projections make this total a few points lower. It is enough of a discrepancy that I’m willing to bet against these two teams combining for 234 points.
So far this season, the Bulls (11-14) are actually 10-14-1 to the over. They have had one game clear the point total over the last four outings, and this would be their highest total since Nov. 28 when a 114-107 win over the Utah Jazz went under 235 points. Chicago ranks 15th in the league with an average of 113 points per game.
Atlanta (13-13) has had a bit more success on the over front, posting a 14-12 clip to the over on the year. The Hawks just went over 232.5 in their 120-116 loss to the Brooklyn Nets two days ago, but that actually snapped a two-game under steak. Atlanta is averaging 113.2 points per contest, which is good for 14th in the league.
Let’s root these two teams to post closer to their average in a potential 115-112 home victory for Atlanta to hit for our best NBA bets, shall we?
Bulls-Hawks prediction: Under 233.5 (-107) at PointsBet
