The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs put on a show yesterday. The show was not kind to our best bets, and a new name joins Jimmy Butler on the 2025-26 do-not-bet list. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been mentioned three times in this column, and every time he has failed to deliver. The sad part is that the Thunder were sending a message to the NBA. That message was that if they play four quarters, they will demolish their opponents. 

The reality is they beat a mediocre team that didn’t have their best player. The Thunder kept the pedal to the medal, and earned a 49-point victory. Even though they scored 138 points, Gilgeous-Alexander could not score 30 points, much less cover the point line. He is useless for this column for the remainder of the season.

LeBron went over his rebounding line of 5.5, earning 15 rebounds in the NBA Cup showdown. Austin Reaves was a non-factor in this match, and there is a direct correlation between the Los Angeles Lakers' loss and Reaves' lack of involvement. Despite playing 40 minutes, he only scored 15 points.

Today’s games are not NBA Cup games, but they do feature teams that have had plenty of time to recover and rest. For that reason, the first best bet is one with high odds. 

 

 

 

NBA Best Bets Today, 12/11: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Thursday

Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings: Thursday 12/11

Game Time: 10:00 PM ET | TV: NBA League Pass | Location: Golden 1 Center | Odds: DEN -10.0 | O/U 239.5

This will be the fourth time the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets have played this season. This one is at the Golden 1 Center, and it is a special occasion that NBA fans should celebrate. The two best all-around basketball players of this century play in what could be their last game against each other. 

Russell Westbrook is the NBA all-time triple-double leader with 207. His most recent performance was the Kings' last game against the Indiana Pacers. In forty minutes, he earned 24 points and made 10 of 16 field goals. He also logged 14 assists and 12 rebounds in the stat sheet. Despite being one of the older players in the league, he puts up incredible statistics.

Sacramento will be without Zach LaVine, Dennis Schroder, and Domantas Sabonis. They are down a great scorer, an elite passer, and the back-to-back rebounding champion. Don't panic because Westbrook excels at whatever is needed, and sometimes there are multiple needs. Put a unit on today’s best bet, and expect Westbrook to play well against his friends and former teammates.  

Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks: Thursday 12/11

Game Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: Local | Location: Fiserv Forum | Odds: BOS -9.5 | O/U: 223.5

The Boston Celtics are being slept on… somehow. A team that everyone had written off had a terrible start to the season. However, the Celtics have the longest win streak in the Eastern Conference with 5 games. They have quietly snuck into third place in the East, have the third best defense in the Association, and won eight of their last ten games.

The Milwaukee Bucks are an organization that has fallen off a series of cliffs the moment after celebrating their championship. Rock bottom is guaranteed as Giannis Antetokounmpo seeks a way out of Wisconsin. They will be without him in this game, and Boston has momentum on their side.

This line started at -6.5 but can be found at different point spreads depending on the book. -9.5 at even odds is the best bet to take. Always a cashout option if Boston goes with their bench to close out a game, but Milwaukee without Antetokounmpo is not in the same realm as Boston without Tatum. Put a unit on the best bet of -9.5 today.

 

 


 

NBA Prop Bet Today, 12/11 

Derik Queen is saving the New Orleans Pelicans front office from looking like fools. The Pelicans gave away their 2026 first-round pick to acquire him, and New Orleans has the worst record in the Association. It could end up being the first overall pick, but Queen is showing glimpses of being an elite player.

The value of players who can do it all is something that is not reflected in a point-focused culture. Derik Queen has logged 8 or more rebounds in three of his last four games. He has also played over his average minutes in five consecutive games. It is a home game after an extended rest, and there has been ample time for film and practice.

The Portland Trail Blazers will be without Donovan Clingan, who is still recovering from a leg bruise. Robert Williams and Yang Hansen are both questionable as well. Queen could have an easy path to 10 rebounds tonight, but his best bet only needs 8. Put a unit on it on FanDuel, and for new bettors, take advantage of the promotional offer below. 

 

 

 

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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy G. -
*All bets placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise. 

 

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