NBA Betting Guide: Lines, Trends & Picks For Saturday, Dec. 17
The top betting trends you need to know for today's NBA slate
Matthew Horner - Dec 17, 2022, 8:45am EST
Today's NBA Betting Lines, Odds & Picks
December basketball is in full-swing, ladies and gentlemen, and today we have seven NBA games on this super Saturday to pick through and find some value.
One trend to note is that the BetQL NBA model is on fire, going 308-178 (64%) on all picks rated ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and higher since the season started for a total return of $1,886 on $100 bets! Take advantage of BetQL's free trial and see all of today's best NBA bets, plus what the model is projecting for this week's NFL, NHL, and NCAA football and basketball games! Start your free trial today!
Spurs vs. Heat Prediction
The Miami Heat (15-15 SU, 9-20-1 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U) and San Antonio Spurs (9-19 SU, 12-16 ATS, 13-14-1 O/U) will meet up on Saturday for the NBA's annual game in Mexico City. Probably not the most exciting matchup in the world, but it could be a close one.
The Heat have been hot, winning four of their last five games, but their one loss came to this Spurs team. San Antonio, despite having a poor record, has remained competitive in a lot of its games. They have won three of their last five contests, so opponents shouldn't underestimate them. Miami has a real problem scoring consistently, as they rank 31st in the league in points per game, but they should be able to do something against this Spurs defense. San Antonio ranks dead last in defensive efficiency.
PICK: Spurs +7.5. Miami still doesn't quite do it for me, and the Heat haven't shown they can cover spreads yet this season at 9-19-2 ATS.
Pelicans at Suns Prediction
The New Orleans Pelicans (18-10 SU, 15-13 ATS, 15-13 O/U) will take on the Phoenix Suns (17-12 SU, 15-14 ATS, 13-15-1 O/U) in a late-night clash.
New Orleans just lost two straight games to the Utah Jazz, which was a bit surprising to see. They have still won three of their last five, and with the tear that Zion Williamson is on, they should win a lot more. Meanwhile, Phoenix finally won a game after a long losing streak. They defeated the Clippers, but have had a really tough go of things lately without Devin Booker, losing four of their last five games. Both of these teams have been great to start the season, and with Booker back, the Suns finally look ready to start winning again. Of course, always look at the injury report before game time.
PICK: Pelicans +3.5. This should be a close game, so I'm going to go with the underdog here for the value.
Jazz at Bucks Prediction
The Utah Jazz (17-14 SU, 18-12-1 ATS, 16-14-1 O/U) will travel to take on the Milwaukee Bucks (20-8 SU, 15-11-2 ATS, 14-14 O/U) Saturday night for what should be a great match.
The Jazz have won three of their last five games and are the NBA's most surprising team to begin the season. No one thought they would have a positive record this far in, but here they are. Meanwhile, Milwaukee is coming off of an absolute thumping at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies. Still, this is one the premier teams in the entire league, and we all know what superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo can do. He's going to want to get some redemption after that embarrassing loss to Memphis. Still, Utah isn't going to just lie down for him.
MY PICK: Bucks -5. This should be a perfect spot for the Bucks to get the job done coming off that terrible loss. I like them here to cover the spread.
MORE: TODAY’S COLLEGE HOOPS BETTING GUIDE
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