The Cavaliers continue to hold off the Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference, and they’re in action tonight as part of a six-game Monday slate.
We’ve also got the latest episode of the ongoing soap opera in Philadelphia and a physical battle between Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento.
That adds up to an array of NBA player props, and my top NBA picks for the December 16 schedule include two other impactful big men in key roles.
Best NBA player props today
-
Cunningham Over 33.5 points + assists (-120 at bet365) -
Allen Over 1.5 assists (-120 at bet365) -
Zubac 13+ rebounds (+175 at bet365)
Picks made on 12-16 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
NBA player props for December 16
Prop bet #1: Cade Cunningham Over 33.5 points + assists
The Detroit Pistons are hanging around the play-in race and should stay in that mix, given the state of the bottom of the East. Their chances of rising higher rest on the shoulders of Cade Cunningham — and he’s been on a tear lately, stuffing the stat sheet on a nightly basis.
Cunningham has blown past this 33.5 combo O/U in five of his last seven games, including 29 points and 15 dimes against the Knicks earlier this month, and I expect more of the same tonight against the Miami Heat.
The Heat are well coached, but there are some weaker links to attack on the perimeter, and that should be a relief for Cunningham after facing the relentless backcourt pairing of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in Thursday’s heavy loss to the Celtics.
There’s a solid floor for this prop, too, with Cade tallying double-digit assists in eight of his last 10 contests and also going past the 20-point mark in eight of those games. Cunningham is the obvious danger man on this improved Detroit team, and there’s a clear path to more offensive fireworks here.
Prop bet #2: Jarrett Allen Over 1.5 assists
When you think of Jarrett Allen, it’s usually blocks, rebounds, or dunks that spring to mind or screens to unleash Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. But he also has his moments as a passer, and he’s given the Cleveland Cavaliers a lift with 12 assists across his last four games.
That’s where I’m looking tonight with the Over on 1.5 assists for Allen, who’s in the middle of another underrated season for the standout Cavs. In many ways, his assists are powered by his work on the offensive glass, where he’s averaging 2.9 orpg, and that can lead to easy passes to open shooters as defenses scramble to recover.
Evan Mobley is set to return tonight after an ankle injury, but Cleveland will surely take a cautious approach there, so I don’t see that impacting Allen’s minutes. In fact, the connection between Allen and Mobley could also feed this Over.
A matchup against the Brooklyn Nets also offers a helping hand, with the Nets giving up 135 points last time out, so look for Allen to chip in with a couple of assists as the Cavs pad their win total.
Prop bet #3: Ivica Zubac 13+ rebounds
Ivica Zubac’s rebounding numbers have cooled off a little this month, but he’s still fourth in the NBA with 12.2 rpg, and the Los Angeles Clippers will need that strength on the boards against a towering Utah Jazz team tonight.
Make no mistake, Zubac’s consistency on the glass remains elite. He’s gobbled up 10+ rebounds in 13 of his last 14 games, and he piled up 13 boards in 32 minutes last time out in a loss to the Nuggets.
I see him producing on that level again here, with James Harden as the only other threat to vulture rebounds in this L.A. starting five. While the regular line for the Zubac rebounds prop is 10.5, I’m taking the tasty plus-money odds for Zubac to end up with a monster tally.
The Jazz rank in the bottom half of the league in field goal percentage, so it should be a busy night on the boards — and perhaps a closer game than the spread suggests, which would help the Zubac minutes load.
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
NBA odds today
Here are the full NBA odds for all of today’s matchups.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
