Top 3 NBA Betting Picks for Thursday, December 16th (2021)
In what will be the second postponement in three days, the COVID protocol absences that have ravaged the Bulls have forced the league’s hand once again. With just four games left on tonight’s slate, let’s take a closer look at where the value lies.
Get a sign-up bonus up to $1,000 at DraftKings Sportsbook >>
1. 76ers +1 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
While the Bulls certainly have had the most trouble with COVID protocols as of late, the Nets are making a strong running for #2. Coming into tonight, they’ll now be without James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, and four other reserves as they needed an exception from the league just to play.
For the 76ers, desperation is in the air as they’ve lost three of four as Joel Embiid has come in and out of the lineup with various injuries. With Embiid healthy enough to go for this one, I like for the Nets’ losses to finally catch up with them in this one.
2. Rockets ML | +200 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Things have g0ne from bad to worse for the Knicks, who were on the wrong side of history already this week as Stephen Curry got his three-point record and a win, 105-96, at The Garden. The loss was the eight in 10 games for the Knicks, who benched Kemba Walker for Alec Burks to no success on the scoring front.
For the home Rockets, a team thought to once be tanking finds themselves just a few games out of the play-in tournament and still getting better. Despite losing three of four, they’re still playing well offensively, and I like for that to be the difference tonight in Houston.
3. Suns -8.5 | -115 at DraftKings Sportsbook
With no timetable to return for the Wizard’s big men in Thomas Bryant and Rui Hachimura, things might get ugly in DC before they get better. In addition to the two down low, the Wizards are also dealing with life without one of their best scorers in Kyle Kuzma.
They now head to Phoenix for the third of a five-game west coast swing and draw a Suns team averaging 11 points per game, including shooting 47.3% from the field. While the Wizards have been able to stay competitive during their recent slide, I don’t expect them to be in this one on the second of a back-to-back against a contender in the Suns.
Join the BettingPros Discord Chat for Live Betting Advice >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our Sports Betting 101 Section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced sports betting strategy — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.
Johnny is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers