Tonight’s Best Picks For NBA – Wed, 3rd Dec

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS @ CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

TEAM TRENDS

• Portland Trail Blazers covered the line in each of their last 13 games on the second leg of a back-to-back.
• Cleveland Cavaliers have won each of their last 10 games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
• Each of Cleveland’s last 6 home games have gone UNDER the total match points line.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Cleveland welcomes Portland in red-hot form after torching Indiana on the road, with Donovan Mitchell once again setting the tone in style. His 43 points on efficient shooting pushed a remarkable trend even further, with the Cavaliers now unbeaten in 18 straight games when he hits 55.0% or better from the field, and Jaylon Tyson’s breakout night added another layer of confidence as the Cavs continue to roll even without Darius Garland recently. With Lonzo Ball also tracking toward a return, Cleveland looks well placed to keep its momentum going on home floor.

Portland arrives on the back end of a back-to-back after a narrow loss in Toronto, where Deni Avdija did everything he could with a monster all-around showing that included a career-high 14 assists. The problem for the Trail Blazers has been turning those individual performances into wins, and late-game execution again let them down in a tight one north of the border. Facing a Cleveland side that swept them last season and is playing its best basketball right now, this shapes as another tough assignment for a group that has struggled to slow high-octane offences on the road.

PICK – OVER 238.5 TOTAL POINTS

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DENVER NUGGETS @ INDIANA PACERS

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

TEAM TRENDS

• The road team has covered the line in 10 of Denver’s last 11 games.
• Indiana have lost each of their last 9 games against teams that held a winning record.
• Each of Denver’s last 5 games have gone OVER the total match points line.
• Indiana have lost the first quarter in 14 of their last 17 games.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Indiana closes out its homestand trying to flip some recent bad vibes after another rough night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where Pascal Siakam again put up strong numbers but the result went the wrong way. It’s becoming an awkward trend for the Pacers, who have now dropped six straight games when he scores 25+ points, and the defence has been the bigger concern with 135 points conceded to Cleveland in their latest outing. With this being the final look at home for this stretch, Indiana will be desperate for a more complete performance to avoid sending the crowd home empty-handed again.

Denver rolls into town off a frustrating collapse against Dallas, where Nikola Jokic somehow managed to stack a monster triple-double and still walk away with a loss after a 17-point lead evaporated. Despite that slip, the Nuggets have been rock-solid on the road in this matchup and in general, carrying a long winning run away from home into this one, and they’ll see this as a great bounce-back spot. Jamal Murray’s status is one to monitor, but even if he’s limited, Denver has shown plenty of firepower and composure away from Ball Arena to stay confident heading into Wednesday night.

PICK – DENVER -7.5

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SAN ANTONIO SPURS @ ORLANDO MAGIC

Kia Center, Orlando, FL

TEAM TRENDS

• Orlando won each of their last 6 home games.
• Orlando covered the line in each of their last 7 games against teams with winning records.
• San Antonio won the first half in 5 of their last 6 games as underdogs.
• Seven of the Magic’s last 8 games have gone OVER the total match points line.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Orlando comes into this one feeling confident at home, where the Magic are on a serious roll and just overcame a big hole against Chicago to keep their streak alive. Desmond Bane caught fire in that win with 37 points, while Franz Wagner and Anthony Black chipped in solid support to keep the pressure on late. This building has been kind to Orlando lately, with six straight wins here, and they’ve also had the edge in this matchup in recent seasons, thanks largely to Wagner consistently producing against San Antonio.

San Antonio arrives with momentum of its own after taking care of Memphis, led by a huge night from Harrison Barnes and another strong showing from De’Aaron Fox. The Spurs have quietly been very good against Eastern Conference teams and will back themselves to bring that same energy into this spot. It hasn’t always been smooth for them on this trip, but with confidence high and scoring coming from multiple places, San Antonio won’t see this as an easy night for the home side.

PICK – SAN ANTONIO +8.5

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LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS @ ATLANTA HAWKS

State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

TEAM TRENDS

• Atlanta has lost the first half in each of their last 5 games.
• The Clippers have lost 8 straight games against teams with winning records.
• 10 of Atlanta’s last 15 home games have gone OVER the total match points line.
• The Clippers have failed to cover the line in each of their last 5 games.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Atlanta comes into this matchup trying to shake off a narrow loss in Detroit where Jalen Johnson was outstanding with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 26. Despite that defeat, the Hawks have quietly been strong against Western Conference teams lately and will take confidence from winning the earlier meeting this season, especially having done it on the road. They’ve also been overdue for a good result at home against the Clippers and this feels like a spot where they’ll expect to be competitive from the opening tip.

The Clippers arrive bruised after giving up 140 points in Miami, even though Kawhi Leonard did everything he could with 36 points and several big defensive plays. Form-wise it’s been a rough stretch, with losses piling up and defense being an ongoing issue, but Leonard’s return to full scoring form is at least a positive sign. If they’re going to turn things around, it likely starts with tightening up at the defensive end and finding some extra scoring help alongside Kawhi.

PICK – OVER 227.5 TOTAL POINTS

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CHARLOTTE HORNETS @ NEW YORK KNICKS

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

TEAM TRENDS

• Charlotte has failed to cover the line in each of their last 7 games with a rest advantage.
• Charlotte has lost their last 13 road games against teams with winning records.
• Each of Charlotte’s last 5 games have gone UNDER the total match points line.
• New York has won the first half in each of their last 5 home games against Charlotte.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

New York comes back home after a tough loss in Boston where Mikal Bridges caught fire with 35 points and a career-high 8 threes, while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 29. Despite that defeat, the Knicks have been rock solid at Madison Square Garden and usually feed off that home energy, especially against teams they’ve handled comfortably before. Having already blown Charlotte out earlier in the season, they’ll feel confident they match up well here and this is the kind of spot where they expect to look sharp again.

Charlotte arrives off a disappointing night in Brooklyn where the offense never really got going, with Miles Bridges struggling badly from the floor and Brandon Miller still sidelined. Scoring has been a problem when Bridges is off, and recent results reflect that trend, with the Hornets rarely finding a way through games when he can’t get into rhythm. They’ll need better ball movement and multiple contributors stepping up if they’re going to hang around, because one-dimensional offense has hurt them too often in this matchup.

PICK – NEW YORK -9.5

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BROOKLYN NETS @ CHICAGO BULLS

United Center, Chicago, IL

TEAM TRENDS

• Each of Brooklyn’s last 7 games have gone UNDER the total match points line.
• The home team has won 8 of the last 9 games between Brooklyn and Chicago.
• Chicago has failed to cover the line in each of their last 7 games against teams with losing records.
• Chicago has lost the first quarter in each of their last 4 home games.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Chicago finally gets back to United Center after a rough road swing that ended with another frustrating loss in Orlando, where they let a 15-point lead slip despite strong nights from Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic and Matas Buzelis. The Bulls are in a rut with four straight losses, and the absence of Coby White continues to hurt their scoring punch, while Kevin Huerter also remaining out keeps the rotation thin on the perimeter. With recent history favouring the home side in this matchup, Chicago will be counting on a lift from being back in familiar surroundings to stabilise things and get some confidence back.

Brooklyn comes in with a bit more life after snapping their skid with a win over Charlotte, driven by a big shooting night from Michael Porter Jr., who knocked down seven threes in a 35-point outing. That result at least steadied the ship after a tough stretch and showed what the Nets can look like when their main scorer gets hot. The challenge now is backing that performance up on the road, where consistency has been an issue, and finding enough support scoring to avoid leaning on one player to carry everything.

PICK – UNDER 232.5 TOTAL POINTS

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SACRAMENTO KINGS @ HOUSTON ROCKETS

Toyota Center, Houston, TX

TEAM TRENDS

• Houston has covered the line in 7 of their last 8 games following a loss.
• Houston has won each of their last 8 home games against Western teams with losing records.
• 7 of Sacramento’s last 9 games have gone UNDER the total match points line.
• Sacramento has lost the 1st half in 15 of their last 16 games.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Houston gets back to Toyota Center looking to reset after a surprise loss in Utah, a game where the box score suggested everything went right on paper but the result went the other way. Alperen Sengun stuffed the stat sheet with a monster all-round performance, Kevin Durant poured in 32 and Amen Thompson chipped in as usual, yet it still wasn’t enough to stop the run from being snapped. With that three-game streak now over, the Rockets will be keen to reassert themselves at home, where their energy and pace tend to lift, and avoid letting one loss turn into a slide.

Sacramento arrive in a far tougher spot, sitting on a 5-16 record and struggling to find any real consistency as the season wears on. The loss to Memphis at Golden 1 Center was another example of effort not quite matching output, even with Malik Monk providing a spark and Keegan Murray doing the dirty work defensively. The Kings did have Houston’s number last season, including a win at this building, but right now they’re still searching for answers on both ends and need something to click quickly if they’re going to stop this from slipping away further.

PICK – OVER 230.5 TOTAL POINTS

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DETROIT PISTONS @ MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI

TEAM TRENDS

• 10 of the last 11 games between Detroit and Milwaukee have gone OVER the total match points line.
• Detroit has won 15 of its last 17 games.
• Detroit has won the 1st quarter in each of its last 6 road games.
• Milwaukee has failed to cover the line in 6 of its last 7 games as an underdog.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Milwaukee heads back to Fiserv Forum under real pressure after another late collapse, coughing up a 16-point lead in Washington and slipping to eight losses from their last nine games. Kevin Porter Jr. caught fire with 30 points in that defeat and Giannis Antetokounmpo did his part, but the issues keep popping up in closing time, whether it’s turnovers, defensive lapses or bad shot selection. With home court usually their comfort zone, this feels like a game where the Bucks badly need a response to stop the rut from deepening.

Detroit, on the other hand, are rolling along quietly and will come in full of confidence after edging Atlanta thanks to another all-around effort from Cade Cunningham. He filled every column with points, boards, assists, steals and blocks, and that kind of influence has become the norm as the Pistons continue to grow as a unit. They’ve also been one of the better road teams in the league lately, and having already beaten Milwaukee on this floor earlier in the season, they’ll believe they can do it again if they bring the same energy and edge.

PICK – DETROIT -3.5

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MIAMI HEAT @ DALLAS MAVERICKS

American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

TEAM TRENDS

• Miami is facing a Dallas team that has lost 15 of its last 16 games against winning teams.
• 12 of Miami’s last 16 road games have gone OVER the total match points line.
• Miami has won the 1st quarter in 9 of its last 10 games.
• Miami has covered the line in 6 of its last 7 games as a road favourite.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

PICKS ATS

Dallas are finally back at American Airlines Center after a long trip and they’ll be hoping that home floor brings a bit more comfort than it has lately. They come in off a huge comeback win over Denver, wiping out a 17-point hole behind a dominant showing from Anthony Davis and a big night from Ryan Nembhard, which should give them plenty of belief. That said, results in this building haven’t been friendly, with just 2 wins from their last 8 here, and they’ll know they need to be sharper early to avoid digging another hole. P.J. Washington is also one to watch on the injury report, which could shape how they rotate and defend inside.

Miami arrive in red-hot form and look full of confidence after rolling past the Clippers, powered by Bam Adebayo’s all-around night and Norman Powell’s scoring punch. They’ve now won 7 of their last 8 and don’t look like slowing down, with their ball movement and shooting clicking nicely on both ends of the floor. With Powell listed as questionable, there’s a slight question mark over their scoring depth, but even so, this group has shown they can find points from multiple places. Having already beaten Dallas once this season, they’ll fancy their chances of taking control again if they keep the tempo high.

PICK – MIAMI -4.5

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