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NBA Best Bets: NBA Picks and Betting Trends on DraftKings Sportsbook for December 15

Julian Edlow gives his best NBA bets and betting trends on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Four games in the NBA on Thursday, but the short card does bring us some solid betting angles on DraftKings Sportsbook. We have some teams on back-to-backs creating a bit of value, as well as a rematch between a couple of teams that faced off on Tuesday. Let’s dive into the card.

All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.



New Orleans Pelicans at Utah Jazz

NOP -1.5 (-110) — 1.5u

The first place Pelicans came back to reality on Tuesday, with their winning streak coming to an end in Utah. They took a 21-point beatdown at the hands of the Jazz, but as we’re seeing more in the NBA this season, both teams stay in Utah and square off again on Thursday night.

We’ll get the bad news out of the way — Jose Alvarado will miss this game for New Orleans. But even without their spark plug, the Pelicans are a deep team and have the bodies to compete in his absence.

The Pels have been spectacular off a loss all season, going an NBA-best 7-1 with an average margin of victory of 11.4 points. I put this play out on Twitter on Wednesday night, at this point you can just play a short -120 moneyline if you choose.


Miami Heat at Houston Rockets

HOU +4.5 (-110) — 1.5u

HOU ML (+160) — 0.75u

The Rockets aren’t the greatest team, but the perception of them is pretty far off from the reality. This is a good home team, and they are only getting better.

Houston is 6-5 straight up at home, including 7-3-1 ATS (covering by seven points per game). The Rockets have now won five in a row outright at home, and taking down competition well above their weight class — wins over the Hawks, Sixers, Bucks and Suns.

Now Houston welcomes in a Miami team that’s just 6-8 ATS on the road, with plenty of other trends working against them as well. The Heat barely won on Wednesday in Oklahoma City, leaving a lot up in the air for this game. Jimmy Butler sat out that game, and is tagged questionable for this one. We’ll see if he returns, but other players like Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry could also wind up sitting out.

The Heat are an abysmal 2-10-1 ATS coming off a win, partially because they don’t mind giving their guys more rest in these types of situations. As you’d expect, Miami is just 1-4 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back, failing to cover by 6.5 points per.

If you want to add some to the first half line, I don’t hate HOU 1H +2 either. The Rockets are a wild 10-1 1H ATS at home this season.

Good spot for the young home team here.


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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.


The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment.