Best NBA Betting Picks and Parlay Today - Monday, December 19, 2022

We have been racking up wins with our NBA best bets lately, so make sure you check out what we have on a Monday slate that features a fun matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns on NBA TV. We have a little something for you in that game, but we're also taking a look at two others that you might not have been thinking much about. With that said, make sure you keep reading to see what we have. We're 11-1 with our picks over our last four days of writing this column and we're hoping that our run of good luck continues. Also, you're going to want to make sure you check out our NBA player props parlay for today, as it will give you a good chance at cashing in on a massive payout. 

As always, we've simulated all of the night's NBA games 10,000 times each to determine where the value lies for sports bettors across the United States.

Best NBA Bets Today

Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00PM ET

The Sixers are 7-0 against the spread when playing at home after having played two home games in a row this season. Philadelphia has won those games by an average of 10.3 points per game, which just goes to show how much the lack of travel can help a team. The Sixers are also facing a Raptors team that is 5-13 ATS when playing games with a total of 220 or higher this year. With that in mind, it's clear the trends favor the home team in this one. 

The Raptors also happen to be a team that is miserable shooting the ball this season. That's not something that will help them earn a win over a Sixers team that is fourth in the league in defensive rating. All in all, it's just hard to see how this Toronto team will find a way to efficiently score against Philadelphia, and Joel Embiid should be able to completely dominate the Raptors on the other end. 

We're generally pretty high on the Raptors and their wing-heavy lineups, but this is a really bad matchup for Nick Nurse's group. 

BET: 76ers -6.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Raptors vs. 76ers Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Raptors vs. 76ers

---

Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 8:00PM ET

Both of these teams are dealing with a ton of injuries, but we're still rolling with a Minnesota team that has won and covered in each of its last two games. This season, Dallas is just 6-15 ATS when playing as a favorite. The Mavericks are also up against a Timberwolves team that is 13-4 ATS in home games when coming off a win by 10 or more points since the start of last year. Minnesota has won those games by an average of 5.3 points per game, and we do see an outright win for the home team as a realistic scenario here. 

Even with some key guys out, the Timberwolves still have Anthony Edwards, Kyle Anderson and Jaden McDaniels on the wing. All three have the ability to give Luka Doncic (questionable) some trouble in a pinch, especially if the Mavericks star is playing banged up. Minnesota is also a team that is pretty deep with guards, so this group can size down and play a bit faster without some of its big men. 

BET: Timberwolves +5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves

---

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns, 9:00PM ET

This matchup has been an ugly one for the Lakers, as the Suns have won eight in a row in this head-to-head series. Phoenix has also covered in seven of those eight wins, with each of the last seven victories actually coming by double digits. Now, the Lakers will be trying to change that and turn in a competitive effort, but they'll be doing so with Anthony Davis sidelined with a foot injury. Meanwhile, the Suns are starting to get healthier and are coming off a big comeback win over the Pelicans, which has to have Phoenix feeling like its swagger is back. 

The Suns are simply much better on both ends of the floor in this matchup, and we just don't see any way that the Lakers will be able to keep up. The only player Phoenix has to worry about is LeBron James, but the Suns have a few options they can use to throw his way. Or, they can simply focus on shutting down everybody else, which is a real possibility given the Los Angeles rotation tonight. 

UPDATE: Devin Booker and LeBron James (along with many others) are now out tonight. We'd advise staying away from this one. 

BET: Suns -8 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Lakers vs. Suns Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Lakers vs. Suns

Your game not here? Find out who we're betting on for every basketball game on Monday via our NBA Bet Hub, where we deliver you NBA predictions and suggested bets, or check out the NBA Betting News section.

---

Best NBA Bets Today

There are numerous different ways you can wager on NBA games in 2022, such as the moneyline, spread, total, player and team props, and, of course, parlays. While we normally suggest taking our picks on their own, we recognize the need to service a parlay-loving audience! With that said, check out the fat payout you can get by throwing all of our best bets together tonight. 

🔥 Sixers -6.5 
🔥 Timberwolves +5
🔥 Suns -8

*All odds and lines correct at time of publishing