The NBA Cup rolls on this Wednesday, as we have 2 more quarterfinal matchups on the slate for tonight. So, our staff of basketball experts dug into the latest odds and identified all the best betting value on the board for tonight's duo of 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 Wednesday, December 11.
NBA Best Bets, Predictions, Picks: Wednesday, December 11
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
| 7 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
| 9:30 p.m. | |
| 9:30 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. | ||
Hawks vs. Knicks
I love this at 31.5, less so at 33.5, where it seems to be heading as of this writing — which is at 2:00 in the morning.
Caesars is the only book that has Trae at 31.5 PA for now, and I've already taken it.
I took Cade Cunningham in a similar spot last week against the Knicks, which he destroyed. Young, similarly, will be targeting Karl-Anthony Towns on switches and the generally uneasy Knicks perimeter defense in order to create for himself and others.
Young has gone over 31.5 PA in just one of his last five, but prior to that, he had crossed that threshold in four straight. Furthermore, he even got to 23 and 10 in one contest, despite one of his seemingly regular poor shooting displays, as he went 7-for-21.
It still feels like Young's shot is destined to rise from the career low 38.5/31 splits from the field and from three this season. At least he's at about 40% from the field over his last nine…Over 32.5 is OK to me, but I'm out at 33.5.
Pick: Trae Young Over 31.5 Points + Assists (-160)
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Hawks vs. Knicks
The Hawks' 28th defensive rating caught up to them in their last game. Atlanta lost by a score of 141-111 to the Nuggets at home this past Sunday.
I don't see the Knicks beating the Hawks by 30 points in this matchup. Just double-digits.
New York is by far the superior defensive team, allowing an average of 103 points in its last six games. And they will be playing at home in this one, and they are the much the healthier team.
Atlanta has four of its top five scorers banged-up. Jalen Johnson and Bogdan Bogdanovic may not even be able to play.
The Knicks are 5-1 in their last six games. Their past six wins at home have come by an average of 18.3 points. I'll lay the points with New York.
Pick: Knicks -7.5 (-115)
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Warriors vs. Rockets
The Warriors travel to Houston to take on the Rockets for a chance to advance to the semifinals of the NBA Cup. Given that this matchup features two teams ranked in the top three defensively, points could be hard to come by.
One player who could have a difficult time on Wednesday night is Houston’s Jalen Green. His points prop is available at 19.5, and although he scored 31 points in his last game against the Clippers, there’s no better to fade him than when he’s coming off a big outing.
The last five times the Rockets guard scored 20 more points, he failed to replicate that level of performance in his next game. Moreover, he failed to cover this scoring prop in five straight home games and his last four meetings against the Rockets.
Green can be hit-or-miss at times, as he leads Houston with 7.9 three-point attempts per game, despite only shooting 32.8% from the beyond the arc.
Considering that his field goal percentage (39.9%) is also a bit low, we’re more likely to see him stay under this projection when he comes up against a quality defensive team. DraftKings currently has the best odds for this prop at -105, and I think there’s value up to -125.
Pick: Jalen Green Under 19.5 Points (-105)
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Warriors vs. Rockets
The Rockets are going to come into this game aggressive, with a high level of intensity, and ultimately trying to win the physicality aspect of this matchup.
They have length, athleticism, and switchable defenders to guard curry and he weaves around defenders both on and off ball.
Houston is the better team and home, and they are being priced as even or slightly worse on a neutral court.
If the Rockets get any semblance of a home whistle, they will be in this one until the end and most likely ahead. I would play this at any number under 4.
Pick: Rockets -2 (-110)
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Warriors vs. Rockets
This is a quick rematch from last week's contest in San Francisco when the Warriors snapped a five-game skid with a 99-93 win over the Rockets, behind 33 points from Jonathan Kuminga.
Steph Curry didn't play that night, but returned in subsequent games vs. the Wolves, and scored 30 in Golden State's Sunday win that avenged a heavy loss a few days prior.
The Warriors are now 2-0 vs. Houston this season and didn't have Steph available in either game, including November 2 at Toyota Center.
Steph's ability to score points in a hurry doesn't suggest Golden State is an "over" team. However, the Warriors are 9-2 to the Under in their last 11 games, as much of Curry's scoring comes in half-court sets as the shot clock winds down.
Steve Kerr is not going to want his team to run with the Rockets anyway, so I'm not expecting the scoreboard to explode in this NBA Cup quarterfinal tonight in Houston. I'll take the under.
Pick: Under 222.5 (-115)
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