Stephen Curry was the headline of Tuesday night, breaking Ray Allen’s record for most 3-pointers made in NBA history and leading the Warriors to a 105-86 victory over the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. Tonight’s slate offers 11 games to choose from. Make sure to keep an eye on injury news and updates throughout the day, as there are several key players with a questionable tag heading into Wednesday’s action. Let’s dive into the best bets to make tonight and overall NBA betting tips for Wednesday, Dec. 15.
Best NBA Betting Picks Tonight | Dec. 15
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Denver on Wednesday for an interdivision matchup against the Nuggets. Denver holds a two-game lead over the Timberwolves, good for second in the Northwest Division behind the Utah Jazz. The Nuggets come into tonight looking to extend their win streak to three games before heading to Atlanta for a short three-game road trip. The Timberwolves have been a team of streaks to start this season. They most recently ended a five-game losing streak with a 116-111 win over Portland on Sunday.
The Denver Nuggets are expected to have Will Barton back in the lineup tonight after he missed the past two games with a non-COVID illness. Barton is second on the team in points per game, averaging 16.3. Austin Rivers is questionable for Wednesday but has a chance to get back into the action after clearing COVID protocols. Denver’s offense has been producing some excellent numbers over the last 10 games despite the inconsistency in their rotation. The Nuggets are sixth in offensive rating and have a 56.6% effective field goal percentage. On the other end of the floor, the Nuggets have struggled on defense, ranking 26th in defensive rating over the last 10 games.
The Timberwolves are back to full strength after D’Angelo Russell took the court on Sunday playing 35 minutes and contributing 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in his return. Russell enters tonight questionable with ankle soreness after experiencing some pain after the game on Sunday. Be on the lookout for an update on his status throughout the afternoon. Karl-Anthony Towns continues to play consistent basketball night in and night out. He has produced three double-doubles in five games in December. Minnesota has also struggled on defense as of late, ranking 21st in defensive rating over the past 10 games. The Timberwolves are allowing 109.4 points per game on 44.8% shooting from the field on the season.
These two teams met once this season resulting in a 93-91 win for the Nuggets. Look for Minnesota to push the tempo, as they rank second in pace over the last 10 games. The Timberwolves love to put up shot attempts averaging 92.1 attempts per game. Both teams have connected on an average of 14 or more 3’s in their last three games. Minnesota is 4-0 over/under in last four games and 7-4 over/under on the road this season. Denver is 4-0 over/under in their last four games, averaging over 120 points per game. Take the over in tonight’s matchup between two teams struggling to defend the ball as of late.
Best Bet for Tonight’s Game: Total Over 222.5 Points
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Pelicans vs. Thunder
The New Orleans Pelicans are last in the conference, with an 8-21 record. To make matters worse, the Pelicans were handed recent news that Zion Williamson had a setback with his foot injury and is without a clear timetable. New Orleans has lost three of their last four games, with their lonely win coming against the Detroit Pistons. Tonight they will have a chance to get back on track as they go up against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas will look to attack an under-sized Thunder squad. After a 3-18 start to the season, the Pelicans have managed to go 5-5 over their last 10 games. New Orleans’ offense is nothing to boast about, as they rank 26th in offensive rating. Fortunately for the Pelicans, they will be going up against a Thunder defense that is 23rd in defensive rating in their last games.
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Oklahoma City will look back to get in the win column after dropping eight of their last 10 games. They are averaging 98.5 points per game over this span. The Thunder will be without Luguentz Dort in tonight’s matchup after suffering an ankle injury in the Dallas game on Sunday. Dort is second in scoring on the team, averaging 17 points per game. His absence opens up minutes for Tre Mann and Kenrich Williams. The Thunder will need to find some offensive production in Dort’s absence. The Thunder only have three players averaging double figures on the season, so losing Dort is a hit to a team that already struggles to put up points.
These two teams matched up once this year in a 108-100 Thunder win. The Pelicans rank 22nd in pace over the last 10 games. Both teams average fewer than 20 free-throw attempts per game. Oklahoma City is 10-16 over/under on the season, cashing in 61.5% of their games. The Pelicans are 5-11 over/under on the road. Two bad offenses are always a good recipe for an under. Take the under total game points with confidence in tonight’s matchup.
Best Bet for Tonight’s Game: Total Under 212.5 Points
The best odds are available on BetMGM found through OddsShopper. Find your best bet in 30 seconds or less.
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