The first full day of the new NBA season starts with a bang with a whopping 13 matchups on the board for hungry sports bettors to sink their teeth in to.
That’s right. While football is winding down and hockey is nowhere to be found, NBA betting is back. And really, we didn’t have to wait all that long, as this was the shortest offseason in NBA history, but hey, it’s 2020 we’ll thank Gamblor for all we have at this point.
So, let’s just right back into the pro basketball odds, giving you our favorite NBA free picks and predictions for Wednesday, December 23.
NBA Picks for Today
Charlotte Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
The LaMelo Ball era gets underway in Charlotte when the Hornets head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. Unfortunately, the Hornets' other big offseason acquisition – Gordon Hayward – has already suffered an injury (shocking, I know), but that might not be enough to stop the buzz around the Hornets.
Yes, Hayward fractured a finger and is now listed as day-to-day, and yes, it seems like Michael Jordan likes to overpay some players, but there are still plenty of things to like about the Hornets.
First of all, the Hornets get another year of growth from Devonte' Graham and P.J. Washington, Terry Rozier averaged 18 points per game on 40.7-percent shooting from 3-point range last year, and the early reception on Ball has been solid. His court vision and ball movement look elite and he could really open up the floor for this Hornets team.
In fact, the Hornets have been the fourth-highest scoring team in the East during the preseason.
Charlotte will face off against a Cavaliers team that ranked dead last in defensive rating last season. While they drafted Auburn wing Isaac Okoro to improve the defense, it is hard to believe the team defense will improve overnight. On top of that, the Cavs looked banged up already with Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. among those questionable for this game.
It’s hard to say if the Hornets will pull out the win in their season opener, particularly if Hayward can’t go, but with or without him, they should be able to take down their team total.
PREDICTION: Hornets ream total Over 108.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans vs Toronto Raptors
It is finally here! The New Orleans Pelicans have taken the reins off of Zion Williamson, meaning we should get a full season of the second-year superstar playing with no restrictions, and he looks ready to get the season going. Williamson put up 57 points in two preseason games, but he might face a little more resistance in the season opener against the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors ranked second in the NBA in defensive rating last season and while they lost Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka this offseason, the Raps aren’t expected to take much of a step back defensively. That’s because they are a very well-coached team with Nick Nurse at the helm, where everyone knows their job and does it well.
Even though Gasol and Ibaka won’t be there to clog up the middle, the Raps got a decent replacement in Aron Baynes and can throw guys like Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby at Williamson. Nurse has also proven he is great at taking away an opponent’s best weapon, so bet on Williamson to go Under his point total in this one.
PREDICTION: Zion Williamson Under 25.5 Points (-105)
Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns
Welcome to the Year of Luka. The Dallas Mavericks guard is the betting favorite to win the NBA MVP award and the Mavs looked poised to make a push in the playoffs after giving the Clippers all they could handle in the opening round in the bubble.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Doncic is the betting fave to win MVP: he is quickly becoming one of the best basketball players on the planet. Last season his per 36 stats looked like this: 30.9 points on 46.3 percent shooting, with 10.1 rebounds and 9.5 assists. He nearly averaged a triple-double in 36 minutes.
In fact, he had 17 triple-doubles in 61 games last season and has 25 for his career. Doncic is also the only player in NBA history with more than 20 triple-doubles at age 21 or younger.
Doncic and the Mavs will tip off their season against the Phoenix Suns, a team that is on the rise. The Suns exploded in the bubble and added Chris Paul to mentor this up-and-coming roster. Mikal Bridges is a great defender, and Paul will do a good job of quarterbacking that defense, but Phoenix still has a ways to go to be in the upper-half of defensive teams in the Association.
On top of that, Doncic averaged 30.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in four games against the Suns last season—and that includes a game where he played just 13 minutes. We’re betting Doncic starts his 2020 campaign with a bang.
PREDICTION: Luka Doncic to record a Triple-Double – Yes (+250)
Top NBA Consensus for Today
Want to know who today's biggest NBA betting and consensus bets are right now? Check out our top NBA consensus picks.
NBA Betting Card for December 23
- Hornets ream total Over 108.5 (-110)
- Zion Williamson Under 25.5 Points (-105)
- Luka Doncic to record a Triple-Double – Yes (+250)
NBA Parlays
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Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where Can I Bet on the NBA?
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