The NBA regular season resumes with a loaded slate of matchups this Sunday, with a total of 12 games on the docket today. So, our staff of basketball experts dug into the latest odds and identified all the best betting value on the board for tonight's contests.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made 5 NBA picks for today's matchups. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Sunday, December 8.
NBA Best Bets, Predictions, Picks: Sunday, December 8
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
  | 9 p.m. | |
  | 9 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Suns vs. Magic
Still no Kevin Durant for the Suns.
Royce O'Neale is averaging 10.2 points in games with Durant in the lineup and 11.2 without him, so not a dramatic difference there. But he's quietly been going over this line routinely as of late.
O'Neale has gone over 10.5 points in three of his last four outings, with the lone miss ringing in at 10 points exactly, and it was actually a game he shot 12 times, where he normally lands in single-digits — go figure.
Still, O'Neale doesn't have the greatest matchup here in the Magic, but with Franz Wagner added to the injury list, it just adds another weakness for the Suns to exploit on the wings.
Pick: Royce O'Neale Over 10.5 points (-115)
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Grizzlies vs. Wizards
Two of the top-four teams in pace take the floor on Sunday night, with the Memphis Grizzlies and WashingtonWizards set to face off on the second night of a back-to-back.
Memphis is fresh off a narrow road win against the defending champion Celtics, while Washington secured a home win over Denver despite a 56-point masterclass by Nikola Jokic.
And that brings us to our next point, which is that the Wizards are in a world of trouble with Jaren Jackson Jr coming into town.
Triple-J just hung 27 points on Boston on an uber-efficient 11-for-19 shooting from the floor. Most of his scoring comes off the dribble in the paint or on trail 3-pointers in transition.
There will be ample opportunities for both, as the Wizards are fourth in pace and allow opponents to score the third-most points in the paint per game.
Further, Washington allows opposing centers to score the most points per game, as it simply has no rim protection or interior defensive presence whatsoever.
Jackson might not play 30+ minutes again, but I don't expect a blowout after the Grizzlies exerted so much energy last night. We can expect another fairly easy 20-point outing from one of the game's best big men tonight.
Pick: Jaren Jackson Jr. 20+ Points (-130)
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Timberwolves vs. Warriors
By Joe Dellera
The Wolves take on the Warriors on Sunday, and I am keying in on Anthony Edwards in this matchup.
Ant is having another strong season despite the roster changes in Minnesota, averaging 26.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Now, he gets a matchup against a Warriors team that is reeling a bit, going just 3-7 over their last 10 games.
Edwards just blew by this line last game, with 34 combined points + rebounds against them on Friday night in a 107-90 victory for the Wolves.
The Warriors are making changes to their starting lineup now and bringing Draymond off the bench in an effort to switch things up.
I think this will impact their overall defensive acumen in the starting rotation which is helpful for Ant. I’ll back Ant to put up another strong performance against the Warriors tonight.
Pick: Anthony Edwards Over 29.5 Points + Rebounds (-110)
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Rockets vs. Clippers
The Clippers may be deserving of a mulligan after being flattened by the Timberwolves by a score of 108-80 last Wednesday night.
After all, the Clippers had won eight of their previous 10 games, covering the spread in nine of those, and had recently recovered nicely from another heavy defeat at Boston.
The question for tonight regards James Harden, who is listed as questionable with a slight groin strain, but I believe the Clips can function just fine without the ball-dominant Harden.
Note that Norman Powell didn't play against Minnesota as he rested, but should be ready tonight after scoring 27 points per game his last three outings.
For the first time this season, the Rockets might be wobbling, on their first losing streak of the campaign, and LA looks for revenge after losing back-to-backs at the Toyota Center last month. I'll take the points with the Clippers.
Pick: Clippers +3 (-112)
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Jazz vs. Kings
We looked at Utah's 141-99 romp past the Blazers on Friday with some astonishment, as it came on the heels of five straight Jazz losses, four of those by double-digit margins.
Perhaps then, it may be fair to view that result as an outlier, and expect a return to the Utah norm tonight at Golden 1 Center. After all, the Jazz are just 5-17 this season, and already lost twice to the Kings in the first month of the season.
It's been a month since the Kings won back-to-back games, but recent form has encouraged, as impressive wins over the Rockets and Spurs sandwiched around a competitive loss at Memphis.
Four Sacramento starters scored 22 or more in Friday's romp at San Antonio, led by DeMar DeRozan's 23 points. I'm laying the points with the Kings here.
Pick: Kings -11.5 (-120)
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