NBA Best Bets Today | Expert Picks for Wednesday Dec. 20

NBA Best Bets Today | Expert Picks for Wednesday Dec. 20 article feature image
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Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets.

NBA Best Bets Today | Expert Picks

The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NBA betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.

GameTime (ET)Pick
Denver Nuggets LogoToronto Raptors Logo
7:30 p.m.
Miami Heat LogoOrlando Magic Logo
7:30 p.m.
Atlanta Hawks LogoHouston Rockets Logo
8 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.

We've got an 10-game slate for Wednesday, which means we've got plenty of NBA best bets today with our experts' picks. Our analysts have three best bets today, including a spread bet and two player props.

Let's get to our NBA best bets today and expert picks for Wednesday.


Nuggets vs. Raptors

Denver Nuggets Logo
Wednesday, Dec. 20
7:30 p.m. ET
NBA League Pass
Toronto Raptors Logo
Michael Porter Jr. Over 14.5 Points
FanDuel Logo

By Joe Dellera

The Nuggets head on the road to take on the Raptors on Wednesday night. One player who has excelled in this matchup is Michael Porter Jr. Last season, MPJ played against the Raptors twice and tallied 20 and 23 points on elite 3-point efficiency with four and five makes.

The Raptors continue to allow their opponents to shoot extremely well from 3-point range this season. Their opponents shoot 38.3% from deep. Those 3-point looks should help open up MPJ and the Nuggets’ offense.

He has exceeded this number in 57% of games this season and is averaging 16.5 per game. I do think there is some value on 20+ (+320 FanDuel) as well though. He has hit 20+ in 39% of games and given the 23.8% implied on the (+320) there is a bit of value when considering MPJ’s history against the Raptors and his propensity to score in bunches.

Pick: Michael Porter Jr. Over 14.5 Points



Heat vs. Magic

Miami Heat Logo
Wednesday, Dec. 20
7:30 p.m. ET
NBA League Pass
Orlando Magic Logo
Tyler Herro Over 21.5 Points
DraftKings  Logo

By Bryan Fonseca

Jimmy Butler is out, so guess who the offense runs through tonight?

Well, yes, there's Bam Adebayo, but if I ask you, who is going to lead the Heat in shots, in usage, it's Tyler Herro.

As good as the Magic are defensively, I think Herro will fight like hell to score, and whether it's on 15 shots or 25 shots, I think he's getting this. Herro just returned Monday and got 25 against the Wolves, he's gotten 22 or more in seven of nine this season, so we go over again.

Pick: Tyler Herro Over 21.5 Points

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Hawks vs. Rockets

Atlanta Hawks Logo
Wednesday, Dec. 20
8 p.m. ET
NBA League Pass
Houston Rockets Logo
Rockets -3.5
FanDuel  Logo

By Andrew O'Connor-Watts

What we have here is a case of two very different teams — almost mirror opposites in fact. The Hawks are all gas no brakes. They push the pace like crazy and try to get the defense on their heels to outscore you with sheer volume and energy, but they leave a whole lot to be desired on the defensive end. They rank fifth in Pace (102.2), sixth in Adjusted Offensive Rating (118.8), but they have the fourth-worst Adjusted Defensive Rating at 118.4, leaving them with only a marginally positive +0.3 Net Rating.

The Rockets are the perfect counter on the other end of the floor. They slow things down, try to muck up the offense and they rely on slow and sticky defense to beat opponents. They’re seventh in defense, but and worse on offense, but at 20th, Houston is a far cry better offensively than Atlanta is defensively and they have a better Net Rating to prove it (+1.1).

Houston might be the exact opposite in play style, but they’re also opposites in spread success. The Rockets are the best home team (10-1-1) against the spread, according to EV Analytics, while the Hawks are the worst spread team in the league on any court (6-20 ATS).

The Rockets are simply a much better and more complete team than the Hawks. I like the Rockets to -6.5, but reduce risk past -5.

Pick: Rockets -3

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