The NBA has a smaller five-game slate on Sunday, December 17, but our expert NBA bettors are ready with their best bets.
Bryan Fonseca, Joe Dellera and Michael Arinze have two player prop bets and one NBA total as their best NBA bets today.
Find their expert NBA predictions and picks for Sunday, December 17 below.
NBA Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NBA betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Pelicans vs. Spurs
CJ McCollum and the Pels have a cupcake matchup against the Spurs, so this should be a PRA over, and we just hope he's on the court long enough for it to cash.
McCollum has played well since returning from a collapsed lung by averaging 18.4 points, 5.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game, translating to 27.1 PRA per game. He's shooting 45/40/100 (12-12 free throws) in his last seven games and has gone over 26.5 PRA in three straight and five of his last seven.
Ball-handlers break down this Spurs defense with ease, and opponents are shooting about 49 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 against the Spurs, who play at the third-highest Pace in the league. McCollum's craftiness as a scorer and playmaker should be on display tonight.
Pick: CJ McCollum Over 26.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-130)
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Rockets vs. Bucks
By Joe Dellera
This matchup for Alperen Sengun should prove to be difficult. The combination of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez on the interior is the only real strength of the Bucks’ defense.
Sengun has been solid this season while averaging 34 PRA per game; however, this has been a tough matchup for Sengun. Last year, he did not even come close to this line with 20 and 19 PRA — although the Bucks’ defense was significantly better last year.
Sengun has failed to meet this line in three straight games, but the more concerning issue is he’s seen his Usage Rate fall over these last few games — and that’s come with Tari Eason’s excellence over the past three as well. If this continues to be a trend and the Rockets expand their big-men rotation, it could further cut into Sengun’s opportunities.
Pick: Alperen Sengun Under 32.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
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Wizards vs. Suns
Washington is coming off a 137-123 home victory over Indiana to snap a six-game losing streak. The Wizards will now embark on a four-game road trip, beginning with a visit to Phoenix to take on the Suns.
Although Washington ranks ninth in scoring with 116.8 points per game, its offense hasn't been as efficient as you might think. Per TeamRankings, it ranks 23rd in efficiency with 108.9 points per 100 possessions.
The key to the Wizards' offense is that it plays at a blistering pace, ranking second in pace behind the Pacers with 107.2 possessions per game. Thus, it's no surprise that we have another eye-popping total that has reached as high as 247.5 after opening at 243.5.
However, Washington will face a Phoenix team that plays considerably slower, with an average pace of around 99.4 possessions per game. It's one thing to dictate the pace of the game at home, but it’s another to do it on the road.
While I don't doubt this will be a high-scoring affair, the total is a bit inflated as my model projects a number closer to 243.
Lastly, our Action Labs database shows that the total is a perfect 5-0 to the under when the total opens at 243.5 or higher with a home team that averages no more than 101 possessions per game. That gives me greater confidence to play the game under 247 at bet365.
I would comfortably play this total down to 245.
Pick: Under 247
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