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Top NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (1/4)

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We have just two games on the National Basketball Association slate for Thursday, as we shift back to a more traditional Thursday schedule with the NFL no longer playing games on the day. We get our nationally-televised games back on TNT, and we’ll start to get more high-profile games, too.

Let’s get started with today’s NBA best bets.

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Thursday’s Best NBA Bets

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

Milwaukee Bucks (-420) @ San Antonio Spurs (+350) | O/U 247.5 (-112/-108)

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks (24-10) head down to the Alamo to tangle with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs (5-28). Milwaukee will be a little on the ornery side, too, after getting swept in a home-and-home with the Indiana Pacers on Monday and Wednesday. The Bucks had won seven in a row from Dec. 11-23, but since a Christmas Day loss in New York, the Bucks are just 2-3 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) across the past five games.

This is the second meeting of the season, as these teams met in Cream City back on Dec. 19. Milwaukee picked up a 132-119 win, although San Antonio hung on for the cover as 16.5-point underdogs as the Over (248.5) hit. That victory came during the aforementioned seven-game win streak for the Bucks.

San Antonio held its own in that game, with six players scoring in double digits. It was also a game the rookie Wembanyama did not play in due to an ankle injury. Still, Zach Collins did well with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Keldon Johnson posted a double-double with 28 points and 12 rebounds and Jeremy Sochan flirted with a triple-double, going for nine points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. However, Damian Lillard scorched the Spurs for a game-high 40 points, while Giannis posted 11 points, 16 assists and 14 rebounds with a blocked shot.

San Antonio has covered eight of the past 10 this season, including four of the past five meetings at home. However, Milwaukee should have its way in this one, even with Wembanyama facing Giannis and company for the first time. There is no reason for bettors to “Fear the Dear.” Instead, embrace them.

Bets: Bucks -9.5 (-106)

Denver Nuggets (-164) @ Golden State Warriors (+138) | O/U 232.5 (-112/-108)

The Nuggets (24-11) hit the road for the Bay Area, looking to drop the Warriors (16-16) back below. 500. These teams just met on Christmas Day, with the Nuggets picking up a 120-114 win in the Mile High City, although the Warriors hung on for the cover as a 7.5-point underdog. Denver won the first meeting on Nov. 8, too, also at Ball Arena, although Golden State was good for the cover in that one, too. The Under has cashed in each of the previous two meetings this season.

In that most recent meeting on Dec. 25, Golden State had six players score in double digits, including Andrew Wiggins, who had a team-best 22 points. The Dubs shot 46% (40-of-87) from the field, including 35% (14-of-40) from downtown. Golden State managed 13 turnovers, which actually made it plus-one for the day.

However, Denver saw all five starters go for double-digit point totals, and each player was efficient. Jamal Murray was good for a game-high 28 points while filling up the stat sheet with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. “The Blue Arrow” also managed to hit three triples, joining teammates Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Porter Jr. with three or more treys in the game. Overall, the Nuggs went for 14 triples, shooting 41% from behind the arc. They were also a healthy 49% (40-of-82) overall from the field. “MPJ” posted four swats, too, providing a true force in the paint.

Denver has dominated this series in recent seasons, winning five straight while going 6-1 SU in the past seven. And while the Warriors have covered the first two as an underdog this season, Denver won both, and it is 5-2 ATS in the past seven overall in the series. At Golden State, Denver covered the past two meetings, and it should do so again, laying this small amount of points.

Bet: Nuggets -3.5 (-106)

Four-Team Cross-Sport Parlay

This slate is a little light in the NBA. So if you play both of the favorites on the road from pro hoops and couple it with two road favorites from college hoops, Lipscomb -1.5 (-110) at Eastern Kentucky and Green Bay -2.5 (-118) at Detroit Mercy, that four-leg parlay pays +1232. If you just want the NBA two-leg parlay, that pays +277.

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

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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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