NBA Picks

The Timberwolves look to close out the year with another win as they take on a Hawks side that has lost 7 games in a row. Minnesota eared an easier-than-expected win last night in Chicago, taking down the Bulls 136-101. No starter played more than 32 minutes in the win, which means they should be relatively fresh in their second night of a back-to-back. This season the Wolves played 4 times in this scenario and each of their 2 losses came against Denver — which is a tough matchup even when rest isn’t an issue. It should be a lot easier putting up points on the board against Atlanta tonight. In 2 of their last 3 games, the T-Wolves have gone over 130 points.

All signs are pointing to a divorce between the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young. Following his comeback from injury, the team has fallen off a cliff defensively and this 7-game losing streak has seen it almost fall out of the playoff picture completely. The Hawks have allowed 125+ points in 7 straight games. Monday saw them give up 140 in a double-digit loss to Oklahoma City. I do not anticipate the situation improving any time soon — at least not until they can figure out what to do with Young. He is a defensive liability at the point-guard position; with a player like Anthony Edwards coming to town on Wednesday, it could be a struggle to defend. I quite like Minnesota’s chances. The Wolves have won 11 of 15 games and they are going up against a team in disarray. In the last 6 meetings, they have beaten the Hawks 4 times. Atlanta has lost 5 straight at home and has covered the spread just twice in 9 games overall

Timberwolves vs Hawks prediction: Minnesota -4.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Orlando really fumbled the ball in their last game, allowing a 21-point lead to slip away as they narrowly lost to the Toronto Raptors.  The Magic have had their ups and downs this season, it’s hard to get a good read on where exactly this team is right now. Franz Wagner is still out injured, while Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs are both game time decisions on a nightly basis with nagging injuries of their own. New Year’s Eve sees the Magic travel to Indiana for a date with the Pacers, maybe they can take advantage of the poor situation that Indiana is in?

Indiana currently owns the longest losing streak in the NBA at 9 losses in a row, with their latest defeat coming at the hands of the Rockets 126-119. They held on for a decent chunk of that game, covering the spread for only the 3rd time in 9 games. The list of injured players isn’t getting any smaller, but maybe playing at home gives this team a much needed boost. On certain nights the Pacers can get hot offensively, their last 3 games have seen them knock down 18 threes twice, that could be a strategy that could work against a Magic team that ranks just 26th in three-point makes per game over their last 10 games.

Despite the losing streak there have been some improvements in the performances of the Pacers who have shot over 49% from the field in 3 straight games. Orlando has major issues on the injury front, if either one of Desmond Bane or Jalen Suggs isn’t able to go here, they could run into issues. I’ll side with the Pacers, even though they’re the home underdogs here.

Orlando Magic vs Indiana Pacers Predictions: Pacers +3.5 is available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Phoenix Suns make their fourth and final stop on the road trip; they are 3-0 straight up and against the spread so far. In fact, Phoenix has covered 6 in a row since Dec. 18. It has scored 115 or more points in each of the past 5 games and it is 2-1 SU/ATS in 3 games against Eastern Conference teams this season. The Suns have picked up 3 wins in the past 4 games while winning 7 of the previous 10 installments in this series. Phoenix is still without Jalen Green due to his strained right hamstring, while Grayson Allen is doubtful to go due to his ongoing knee issue.

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently posted a 113-101 win in San Antonio, salvaging 1 on the 3-game road trip. Still, despite the cover on the Alamo, the Cavs have managed a 2-8 ATS in the past 10 games while going 4-12 ATS in the past 16 games and 10-24 ATS overall on the season. Cleveland is just 4-5 ATS in 9 tries against Western Conference teams while going 1-4 ATS in the past 5 on its home court. For Cleveland, all integral parts are expected to be available, while Sam Merrill is the only notable player on the injury report. He is probable due to a sore left hip, so he should be in there. Still, while Cleveland is maybe as healthy as it has been all season, Phoenix is red hot. I’m backing the Suns.

Suns vs Cavaliers prediction: Suns +5.5 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable to +4.5.

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Without Josh Giddey in the lineup, the Chicago Bulls will look to end their two-game losing streak against the New Orleans Pelicans. Chicago has a record of 15-17 and a record at home of 8-8. After winning five straight games, the Bulls have once again lost two straight and are looking to get back on track. Chicago’s last loss came against the Minnesota Timberwolves 136-101. Nikola Vucevic led the team in scoring with 23 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 10 points and 7 assists. The Pelicans have a record of 8-26, and they are only 2-11 when playing on the road. New Orleans has lost their last four games with their last loss coming against the New York Knicks 130-125. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 32 points in the defeat. Williamson has led the Pelicans in scoring in five of their last six games. 

This will be the third time these two teams have met this season. The Pelicans have already beaten the Bulls twice this season. They beat the Bulls 143-130 on November 24th and 114-104 on December 14th. In both games, the Pelicans won the rebounding margin by a substantial amount. The Bulls on paper should be set up for a revenge spot tonight on their home floor, but they lost some key pieces in their last game that will leave them shorthanded tonight. Both Josh Giddey and Coby White went down with injuries against the Timberwolves. Giddey and White are the Bulls two most impactful players on offense. Most possessions run through either one of these two players, and with both of them out, the Bulls will have to find answers from other players tonight. With Zion Williamson continuing to work himself back into full health, and with the Pelicans having the Bulls number, I’ll back the Pelicans tonight on the road in Chicago.

Pelicans +1 is available at the time of publishing. Playable at the ML.

The Denver Nuggets will try to find success without Nikola Jokic tonight against the Toronto Raptors. The Nuggets have a record of 22-10 this season, and an away record of 12-5. Denver has lost two straight games with their last loss coming against the Miami Heat 147-123. Jokic led the team in scoring with 21 points before leaving the game with a knee injury. Jokic was injured as time expired in the 2nd quarter. Miami outscored Denver 84-60 in the 2nd half. The Raptors have a record of 20-14 this season and a home record of 10-7. Toronto has won three of their last four games with their last win coming against the Orlando Magic 107-106. Jamal Shead led the Raptors in scoring with 19 points, and he led his team back to win after a 21 point 1st half deficit.

Tonight we will see the beginning of how the Denver Nuggets play without star Nikola Jokic in the lineup. The injury to Jokic is significant because we haven’t really seen him out of the lineup for an extended period of time in his career. The most games the durable big man has missed in his career is 13 games, and the most consecutive games he has missed is seven straight. Jonas Valanciunas will likely take his spot in the starting lineup. While Valancianas is a solid center in the NBA, he doesn’t demand the same consistent double team or have the same level of playmaking that Jokic has. The Nuggets will need to try and rediscover themselves on offense with Jokic out of the lineup and that may take time. They are running into a solid Raptors team tonight that has played well recently. I don’t expect the Nuggets to figure it out right away, but I do expect the Raptors to take advantage of the shorthanded Nuggets.

Raptors -6.5 is available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to establish themselves as one of the NBA’s most well rounded teams, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging north of 30 points per game while anchoring an offense that can score efficiently without relying solely on pace. Chet Holmgren’s interior presence has elevated OKC’s defensive ceiling, allowing the Thunder to protect the rim and force opponents into tougher half court possessions. While Oklahoma City is capable of pushing tempo, they’ve shown an ability to slow games down when needed, especially against opponents with limited offensive depth. That defensive versatility has been key in keeping several recent matchups from turning into shootouts.

Portland enters this matchup still searching for consistency amid ongoing rotation instability. The Trail Blazers have flashed offensive upside behind young contributors like Deni Avdija and an energetic bench, but injuries and uneven shot creation continue to cap their scoring efficiency. Against elite defenses, Portland often struggles to generate clean looks late in possessions, leading to prolonged scoring droughts. That profile is problematic against a Thunder team that can switch defensively and control the glass. While previous meetings between these teams have featured moments of offensive bursts, the overall flow has leaned toward contested shots and slower late game execution. With Oklahoma City capable of dictating tempo and Portland lacking reliable scoring options, this matchup projects to fall short of the total.

Trail Blazers vs Thunder Prediction: Under 232.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 231.5

The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves laying -10.5 once again against Washington after a surprising straight up loss to the Wizards as double digit favorites earlier this season. That result now looks more like an anomaly than a trend. Milwaukee has since stabilized, with Giannis Antetokounmpo back healthy and anchoring an offense that continues to rank among the league’s most efficient. Giannis’ ability to dominate the paint, draw fouls, and create open looks for shooters places constant pressure on opposing defenses, and the Bucks’ depth has improved with more consistent production from Bobby Portis and the supporting cast. With motivation clearly present after being embarrassed in the earlier meeting, Milwaukee is unlikely to overlook Washington this time.

The Wizards remain firmly in rebuild mode and continue to struggle defensively, particularly against physical frontcourts and elite half court offenses. While Washington has flashed competitiveness in spots and pulled off that earlier upset, their road performances have been far less reliable, often breaking down when forced to defend multiple actions and defend the rim for extended stretches. Milwaukee’s size, experience, and ability to push runs in transition make this a difficult matchup for a young Wizards team that lacks defensive consistency. With the Bucks healthier, sharper, and fully aware of what went wrong in the previous loss, this spot profiles as a classic bounce back scenario. Given the identical line and situational edge, this qualifies as a system play to lay the points with Milwaukee after the straight up loss.

Wizards vs Bucks Prediction: Bucks -10.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to that number