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Top NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (12/16)

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There are 10 NBA games on tap for Saturday, with half of them having an 8:30 PM ET tip-off or later. That’s when many of the best matchups will be, especially in the Mile High City, where the surprising Thunder try to corral the defending champion Nuggets.

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Saturday’s Best NBA Bets

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All wagers are for 1 unit

Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30 p.m ET

The Hawks scored a nice 125-104 victory against the Raptors on Friday night, covering as a 1.5-point underdog. It was a rare cover, too, as Atlanta had failed to win in five straight games, while posting eight consecutive non-covers. Even after cashing on Friday, Atlanta is still just 3-15 against the spread (ATS) in the past 18 games overall.

The last time Atlanta paid a visit to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, the Cavs came away with a 128-105 win on Nov. 28 to easily cover as a 4.5-point favorite. The Hawks are also playing in a back-to-back situation which isn’t optimal. Atlanta is 1-2 straight up (SU) and 0-3 ATS in the past three games when playing on no rest.

Meanwhile, the Cavs are back home after a four-game road trip which saw them split 2-2 ATS. At home, Cleveland is 2-1 ATS in the past three showings, including that previous win over Atlanta. While the Cavs are a little short with G Darius Garland out indefinitely with a jaw injury, and C Evan Mobley out a while with a knee, they’ll have enough to take care of the tired Hawks.

Bets: Cavaliers -2.5 (-110)

Indiana Pacers at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8 p.m. ET

The Pacers had an eventful week, playing for the In-Season Tournament Championship last Saturday in Las Vegas against the Los Angeles Lakers, before hitting the road for Detroit, Milwaukee and Washington. The Pacers looked a little tired in Washington on Thursday, falling 137-123, and now they face a back-to-back against a tough team in the Twin Cities.

The Timberwolves picked up a solid 119-101 win in Dallas against the Mavericks on Thursday as a 2-point favorite, and Minny is a solid 7-1 SU in the past eight showings, while going a respectable 7-4 ATS in the past 11 games overall. And on the season, the T-Wolves have covered the number in eight of 11 games on their home court, including a perfect 4-0 ATS mark in four home games against Eastern Conference visitors.

Bets: Timberwolves -8.5 (-110)

Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings – 10 p.m. ET

Win or lose for either of these teams, it’s usually a lot of fan, and plenty of points are on the board.

The Kings rank eighth in the NBA with 116.8 points per game (PPG) this season. While Sacto isn’t particularly sharp shooting the basketball, and it is so-so from behind the 3-point line, it is with great frequency that they’re able to amass those points. The Kings have cashed the Over in seven of the past nine games overall, and the total has gone high in seven consecutive games at the Golden 1 Center.

The Jazz have ticked off three straight Over results, going for 117 or more points in each outing, while yielding 113 or more points in six straight contests. The Over is 5-1 during that six-game span, too.

These teams met in Salt Lake City back on Oct. 25 in the opener for both sides, with Sacramento coming away with a 130-114 win as the Over (234) cashed. Look for more of the same here.

Bets: Nuggets +4.5 (-110)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:


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Cameron Lynch is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Cameron, check out his archive and follow him @captron26.

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