This article is free. For more picks, see our Free NBA Picks.
Monday’s slate features heavy favourites and key Western Conference implications. Houston ($1.09) looks to extend its dominance over Washington ($8.00), with Kevin Durant coming off 32 points and eight assists, while the Wizards have dropped four straight and own a -10.8 differential.
Boston ($1.34) travels to Milwaukee ($3.40) after Neemias Queta’s 27-point, 17-rebound performance and Jaylen Brown’s 27-8-8 line, facing a Bucks side led by Bobby Portis and Kevin Porter Jr. Denver ($1.19) meets Utah ($5.00) with Nikola Jokic fresh off 35 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, while the Jazz have lost 19 of 20 without Lauri Markkanen. In the nightcap, the Clippers ($1.85) visit Golden State ($2.00), where Darius Garland debuts for LA and the Warriors lean on their +1.5 scoring margin despite recent home struggles.
HOUSTON ROCKETS @ WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Odds: HOU $1.09 / WSH $8.00
TEAM TRENDS
- Rockets have won last 10 as favourites vs Wizards. (1.09)
- Rockets have covered last 6 vs Wizards. (1.56)
- Rockets have lost 1Q in last 4 road games. (Wizards 1Q 3.14)
- Wizards last 4 home games (1st leg B2B) went UNDER 223.5. (1.94)
WIN/LOSS
| TEAM | W | L | HOME | ROAD |
| HOU | 37 | 22 | 20-7 | 17-15 |
| WSH | 16 | 43 | 11-20 | 5-23 |
SEASON POINTS +/-
| TEAM | PPG | OPPG | DIFF | TOT.AV. |
| HOU | 114.5 | 109.2 | +5.3 | 223.7 |
| WSH | 112.2 | 123.0 | -10.8 | 235.2 |
PICKS ATS
| SPREAD | POINTS | RESULT |
| HOU | OVER | HOU |
| -15.5 | 224.0 | 123-118 |
PLAYER TRENDS
- Kevin Durant – 4+ ast in 13 of last 15 vs Wizards.
- Kevin Durant – 30+ pts in 7 of last 8 road games.
- Alperen Sengun – 6+ ast in 4 of last 5 vs Wizards.
- Alperen Sengun – 10+ reb in last 5 vs Wizards.
- Reed Sheppard – 4+ 3PM in last 4 games.
- Reed Sheppard – 15+ pts in 4 of last 5 vs losing teams.
- Bub Carrington – 2+ 3PM in 11 of last 12 home vs West.
- Bub Carrington – 5+ ast in last 3 games.
- Bub Carrington – 12+ pts in 7 of last 8 vs winning teams.
- Tre Johnson – 12+ pts in last 8 home vs West.
- Tristan Vukcevic – 10+ pts in 8 of last 9 games.
- Kyshawn George – 15+ pts in 7 of last 8 vs West.
- Tari Eason – 10+ pts in last 3 vs Wizards.
- Tari Eason – 8+ reb in 6 of last 7 road games.
- Amen Thompson – 8+ reb in 4 of last 5 vs Wizards.
- Bilal Coulibaly – 12+ pts in last 4 home games.
- Bilal Coulibaly – 5+ reb in last 3 games.
Houston and Washington meet for the second time this season after the Rockets’ 135-112 win in November extended their winning streak over the Wizards to six games. Washington enters on a four-game skid following a 134-125 home loss to Toronto, slipping to 16-43 on the season.
Houston, now 37-22, is looking to respond after a 115-105 defeat in Miami despite Kevin Durant’s 32 points and eight assists, which snapped a three-game winning run. Injuries: Rockets – Jabari Smith Jr. out; Wizards – Tristan Vukcevic and Kyshawn George questionable.
PICK – OVER 224.5 TOTAL POINTS
BOSTON CELTICS @ MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Odds: BOS $1.34 / MIL $3.40
TEAM TRENDS
- Celtics have won 16 of last 17 when both teams on 2nd leg B2B.
- Last 6 Celtics vs Bucks games went UNDER 215.5.
- Celtics have won 1H in last 7 games.
- Home team has covered in last 8 Celtics games when both on 2nd leg B2B.
WIN/LOSS
| TEAM | W | L | HOME | ROAD |
| BOS | 40 | 20 | 20-9 | 20-11 |
| MIL | 26 | 33 | 14-14 | 12-19 |
SEASON POINTS +/-
| TEAM | PPG | OPPG | DIFF | TOT.AV. |
| BOS | 115.0 | 107.4 | +7.6 | 222.4 |
| MIL | 111.8 | 115.7 | -3.9 | 227.5 |
PICKS ATS
| SPREAD | POINTS | RESULT |
| BOS | UNDER | BOS |
| -7.0 | 215.5 | 108-81 |
PLAYER TRENDS
- Derrick White – 4+ 3PM in last 4 games.
- Derrick White – 8+ ast in 5 of last 6 road games.
- Derrick White – 15+ pts in last 7 games on B2B.
- Jaylen Brown – 30+ pts in last 2 vs Bucks.
- Jaylen Brown – 8+ reb in last 7 road games.
- Payton Pritchard – 22+ pts in last 3 vs losing teams.
- Kyle Kuzma – 3+ 3PM in last 3 home games.
- Kyle Kuzma – 17+ pts in last 3 home games.
- Bobby Portis – 2+ 3PM in 16 of last 17 home games.
- Bobby Portis – 10+ pts in 17 of last 18 home games.
- Bobby Portis – 6+ reb in last 22 vs Celtics.
- Kevin Porter Jr. – 6+ ast in 16 of last 19 games.
- Kevin Porter Jr. – 20+ pts in 4 of last 5 home games.
- Kevin Porter Jr. – 6+ reb in last 4 games.
- Ryan Rollins – 4+ ast in 17 of last 18 as home underdog.
- Myles Turner – 4+ reb in 14 of last 15 games.
Boston and Milwaukee meet on the second night of a back-to-back, with the season series tied 1-1 after both teams defended home court in the first two clashes. Bobby Portis poured in 27 points in the Bucks’ earlier win, but Milwaukee enters off a 120-97 loss to Chicago where Kevin Porter Jr. shot just 4-16.
Boston handled Philadelphia 114-98 behind Neemias Queta’s career-high 27 points and 17 rebounds, alongside Jaylen Brown’s 27-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist effort. The Celtics have now won seven straight when Queta records a double-double.
PICK – BOSTON -7.0
DENVER NUGGETS @ UTAH JAZZ
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Odds: DEN $1.19 / UTAH $5.00
TEAM TRENDS
- Nuggets have won last 7 vs Jazz.
- Nuggets last 10 road vs West went OVER 243.5.
- Jazz have failed to cover in 8 of last 9 home games.
WIN/LOSS
| TEAM | W | L | HOME | ROAD |
| DEN | 37 | 24 | 16-12 | 21-12 |
| UTA | 18 | 42 | 11-20 | 7-22 |
SEASON POINTS +/-
| TEAM | PPG | OPPG | DIFF | TOT.AV. |
| DEN | 120.3 | 116.0 | +4.3 | 236.3 |
| UTA | 117.8 | 125.7 | -7.9 | 243.5 |
PICKS ATS
| SPREAD | POINTS | RESULT |
| DEN | UNDER | DEN |
| -11.0 | 243.5 | 128-125 |
PLAYER TRENDS
- Nikola Jokic – 12+ ast in last 2 road games.
- Nikola Jokic – 30+ pts in last 4 as favourite.
- Nikola Jokic – 14+ reb in 6 of last 7 road games.
- Jamal Murray – 20+ pts in last 17 road games.
- Jamal Murray – 6+ reb in last 5 road vs Northwest.
- Christian Braun – 4+ ast in last 3 (2nd leg B2B).
- Christian Braun – 16+ pts in last 4 vs Jazz.
- Christian Braun – 6+ reb in last 3 games.
- Bruce Brown – 2+ ast in 10 of last 11 as road favourite.
- Isaiah Collier – 6+ ast in 17 of last 18 home games.
- Isaiah Collier – 10+ pts in last 15 games.
- Keyonte George – First basket in last 2 vs Northwest.
- Keyonte George – 4+ ast in last 7 vs Nuggets.
- Keyonte George – 15+ pts in last 17 vs West.
- Keyonte George – 4+ reb in 8 of last 10 home vs winning teams.
- Brice Sensabaugh – 4+ reb in last 4 vs Northwest.
- Ace Bailey – 6+ reb in 5 of last 6 as underdog.
Denver and Utah meet on the second night of a back-to-back after the Nuggets claimed a 135-112 win in their first clash this season, extending their winning streak over the Jazz to seven games. Utah enters off a 115-105 home loss to New Orleans and has now dropped 19 of its last 20 without Lauri Markkanen.
Denver fell 117-108 to Minnesota despite Nikola Jokic’s 35 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, losing four of its last five in conference play. Injuries: Nuggets – Cameron Johnson questionable (ankle); Jazz – Lauri Markkanen out, Kevin Love out.
PICK – UNDER 243.5 TOTAL POINTS
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS @ GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Odds: LAC $1.85 / GS $2.00
WIN/LOSS
| TEAM | W | L | HOME | ROAD |
| LAC | 28 | 31 | 15-13 | 13-18 |
| GS | 31 | 29 | 19-12 | 12-17 |
SEASON POINTS +/-
| TEAM | PPG | OPPG | DIFF | TOT.AV. |
| LAC | 112.1 | 112.3 | -0.2 | 224.4 |
| GS | 115.6 | 114.1 | +1.5 | 229.7 |
PICKS ATS
| SPREAD | POINTS | RESULT |
| GSW | UNDER | LAC |
| +1.5 | 218.0 | 114-101 |
Separated by just 2.5 games in the West, the Clippers and Warriors clash for the third time this season after both teams held serve at home in the first two meetings. Golden State enters off a 129-101 loss to the Lakers, struggling offensively as De’Anthony Melton shot 3-12, marking a sixth defeat in their last eight home games.
The Clippers arrive with momentum after a 137-117 rout of New Orleans that snapped a three-game skid. Darius Garland is set to make his Clippers debut. For Golden State, Gary Payton II is questionable, while Will Richard and Kristaps Porzingis are out.
PICK – GOLDEN STATE +1.5
