The NBA regular season is back in full swing with another solid slate of games on Sunday, with a total of six matchups on the docket scheduled for today, with the first matchup of the day set to tipoff at 3:30 p.m. ET between the Bulls and Hawks, and then we'll close out the weekend with a late night clash between the Rockets and Kings at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified NBA picks for all six of today's matchups.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Sunday, December 21.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions: Sunday, December 21
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Bulls vs. Hawks
By Bet Labs
The Bulls are coming off two consecutive wins against the Cavaliers, while the Hawks have lost two in a row against the Hornets and Spurs.
This game will be played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Interestingly, the Hawks are worse at home this season, with a 5-7 record, than on the road (10-7).
Chicago has won four of its last six matchups against Atlanta, and three of its previous four at State Farm Arena.
This aligns with the recommendation of our "Road Trip Outright" system to back the underdog Bulls today.
This system targets NBA road teams positioned for outright wins when undervalued by the market during regular-season play.
Teams entering a road stretch after consecutive away games often build rhythm and cohesion that sharpens their focus, especially when facing opponents with modest win streaks.
When the opponent’s previous game came against a weaker team, and they enter this matchup slightly overconfident, the road team benefits from a motivational edge.
Moneyline ranges in this zone capture underdogs or small favorites that have the talent to compete but are priced at a discount due to travel fatigue or perception bias.
Historically, these teams capitalize on opponents riding short winning runs by controlling tempo and playing with higher urgency, producing profitable upsets and solid returns over time.
Pick: Bulls Moneyline (+160)
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Raptors vs. Nets
By Action PRO
PRO projects Raptors forward Scottie Barnes for 20.81 points today, a nice 14.9% edge against the market when compared to his 18.5 line.
He has averaged 18.5 points per game or more in each month this season, and has surpassed this line in five of his past 11 games, with another two games of 18 points.
This matchup favors Barnes, who will face a Nets defense that ranks 29th in field-goal percentage allowed (49.0%).
Back him today to go over his points line against Brooklyn.
Pick: Scottie Barnes Over 18.5 Points (-109)
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Heat vs. Knicks
By Bet Labs
This NBA system targets regular-season situations where home favorites with strong rebounding form bounce back to cover the spread, which appears to be the setup for the Knicks entering tonight's matchup against the Heat.
When teams control the boards across multiple games, it reflects sustained energy, interior presence, and second-chance scoring potential, all of which translate more effectively at home — and that is what we are seeing from the Knicks in this spot.
These teams tend to have stable home against-the-spread results and perform particularly well in early and midseason months when effort metrics like rebounding carry extra weight before fatigue or playoff pacing sets in.
By focusing on home favorites that are not elite but consistently solid, this strategy captures undervalued stability where rebounding dominance, crowd momentum, and statistical reliability align to produce profitable covers.
So, let's take the Knicks -7.5 on Sunday evening.
Pick: Knicks -7.5 (-120)
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Bucks vs. Timberwolves
By Bet Labs
The Bucks are still waiting for Giannis Antetokounmpo's return, and the two-time MVP winner offered encouraging signs for the near future after practicing with the team yesterday.
However, for today's matchup against Minnesota, the outlook remains bleak, especially after the Timberwolves' impressive victory over the Thunder on Friday.
Mike Conley will probably miss today's game for Minnesota due to Achilles issues, and if other players get some rest or this matchup becomes a clear home win by the end, the Bucks might cover.
With such a high line at 11.5, our Bet Labs "Visitor Recent Dogs – Losing Streak" system recommends backing Milwaukee against the spread.
The Visitor Recent Dogs Losing Streak system focuses on NBA regular-season matchups where struggling road underdogs offer hidden value.
Teams on short losing streaks, both straight up and against the spread, often become undervalued in the market, as public sentiment turns sharply against them.
These spots tend to produce inflated lines that do not reflect the small margins separating most NBA teams, especially when the visiting side has already been the underdog in consecutive games.
Such teams frequently respond with higher energy and focus after a string of poor performances, particularly when traveling, where distractions are limited, and motivation is heightened to end a skid.
This system capitalizes on market overreaction to recent losses, finding edges where perception diverges from reality, and resilient road teams quietly bounce back to outperform expectations.
Pick: Bucks +11.5 (-102)
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Spurs vs. Wizards
By Joe Dellera
The Spurs play the Wizards for the second time this week on Sunday.
While the Spurs should control the game yet again, this is one where I'll roll the dice on a bit of a blowout.
Castle put up 24 points plus assists in just 25 minutes the other day against them, but it was also the first game of a B2B directly out of Vegas.
Here, I'd expect a few more minutes.
He averages 25.3 PA on the season, and the Wizards are about the best matchup you can have. The Wizards play at a top-10 pace and have the league’s worst defense.
Pick: Stephon Castle Over 24.5 Points + Assists (-105)
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Rockets vs. Kings
By Bet Labs
This NBA system focuses on teams that have been struggling against the spread but find themselves in favorable bounce-back positions like the Kings entering tonight's matchup against the Rockets.
When a team with a poor ATS record suffers another narrow loss against the spread, the market often overreacts, discounting them beyond what performance metrics justify.
Meanwhile, their opponent is typically coming off a cover or solid outing, inflating public confidence on that side, which appears to be the case for the Rockets.
This setup creates an imbalance where value shifts toward the underperforming team, as oddsmakers shade lines to match public perception.
Over a larger sample of games, these situations reveal how teams that consistently miss the spread by small margins tend to rebound once expectations fall too low, especially when facing opponents who are slightly overvalued from recent success.
So, let's take the Kings +11.5 on Sunday night.
Pick: Kings +11.5 (-105)
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