Meatloaf is back on the menu!!! There were several thrilling conclusions to yesterday’s games, including two of the three games mentioned in this column. It starts with LeBron James, whose 10+ point per game streak ended last night. 1,297 games, and it started way back in 2007. That was before Kevin Durant and Jeff Green were drafted, and Dirk Nowitzki hadn’t won his MVP. The Los Angeles Lakers versus Toronto Raptors game went as we predicted, and the double unit cashed easily with 146 points in a 128.5 total line.

The Philadelphia 76ers screwed our bets in a dramatic fashion. Philadelphia made a field goal with less than five seconds, then blocked a buzzer-beating lay-up to earn the win… just not by -2.5 points. New Orleans did exactly as we predicted them to do. They held Anthony Edwards to his lowest point total since October. That in turn helped them cover the +11.5 spread. 

That, paired with our double unit hammer at near even odds, proved that ‘Two out of three ain’t bad.’ Today, there are twelve games, including two on Amazon Prime streaming service. And the first bet of the night comes from that match.

 

 

 

NBA Best Bets Today, 12/5: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Friday

Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics: Friday 12/5

Game Time: 7:00 PM ET | TV: Amazon Prime TV | Location: TD Garden | Odds: BOS -6.5 | O/U 223.5

The Los Angeles Lakers were in a thrilling match that was discussed earlier. Austin Reaves played 41 minutes in that match and scored 44 points. He is emerging as a true star in the NBA, and without Luka Doncic, he put the team on his back. Doncic is expected back in today’s match against the Lakers' rival, the Boston Celtics. That should take away from Reaves' field goal attempts.

The Celtics have quietly crept back into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, and they have done so with defense. They allow just 110.7 points per game, which is best in the Eastern Conference and third best in the Association. They have a +6.0 point differential, are on a three-game win streak, and are 7 - 4 at TD Garden. The Lakers had international travel after their buzzer-beating game in Toronto. They are going to be tired.

It was a physically and emotionally demanding game for Reaves. Although he scored 41 points yesterday, the expectation is for him to score under 31.5 points today. Put a unit on this best bet at near even odds.

Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks: Friday 12/5

Game Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: Local | Location: Fiserv Forum | Odds: PHI -1 | O/U: 223.5

The Philadelphia 76ers are mentioned in Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets in consecutive days. We learned our lesson with the low spread yesterday, and returned to the profitable bet of the 76ers' win margin 1 - 10. They have won two margin bets for this column this season, and good things come in threes.

After the victory, they traveled to Milwaukee and will play the Bucks without Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks were playing badly with Giannis, but without him, they have experienced difficulty winning. Milwaukee lacks superstars, quality depth, and have constructed their roster to be reliant on Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Philadelphia could have Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Kelly Oubre back for this match. They have a young and talented backcourt that shouldn’t have issues playing in consecutive matches. If George or Embiid are declared healthy, the spread will shift, and so will the odds of this best bet. Put a unit on the margin at FanDuel, and those new to the sportsbook should take advantage of the promotional offer at the end of this article.

 

 


 

NBA Total Bet Today, 12/5

Nikola Jokic is without a doubt the face of the NBA. As much as most of the basketball media doesn’t want him to be… he is. Even after 3 MVPs and a Finals MVP, some are just now acknowledging the reality that he could be the best player of all-time. He is a great athlete with a gifted mind, and it shows in the most thrilling statistics in basketball… The triple-double.

It is the metric of a well-rounded baller. Can they score? Will they give the effort needed to rebound? And can they help their teammates with assists? It is rare to find a player who can accomplish this feat, and even more rare to find a player who accomplishes this routinely before the fourth quarter. Jokic is the only one in this century who has displayed this ability.

He has 11 triple-doubles this season, and is the only player who has negative odds to earn this rare feat. That is how great Nikola Jokic is at basketball. Even though the odds are juiced up to -122, the best bet is to put a unit on it to happen. The Atlanta Hawks have a losing record at home, and the Nuggets have won eight consecutive road games. Look for Jokic to get everyone involved after Jamal Murray had a 52-point game Wednesday. Trust the best player in the NBA to do it all against Atlanta.

 

 

 

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

 

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