Best NBA Betting Picks and Parlay Today - Monday, December 26, 2022

Christmas Day gave us some remarkable NBA games, but the Monday slate is excellent and we're attacking it with our best bets. This slate is headlined by an NBA TV doubleheader in which the Brooklyn Nets will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Charlotte Hornets will face the Portland Trail Blazers. We have you covered with a pick on the first of those two games, but we're looking elsewhere for the other two. We see two Western Conference teams getting points against average Eastern Conference teams, and we're just not going to sit back and let that happen. With that said, keep reading for our favorite picks on the slate and let's hope to start the week with a bang. Also, make sure you check out our NBA player props parlay for the day. We're hoping to turn a small bet into a big payout using our artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. 

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

Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:00PM ET

Over the last two seasons, the Nets are 9-1 against the spread when playing on the road against teams that average 7.0 or fewer steals per game. Brooklyn has won those games by an average of 14.5 points per game. We're not exactly sure the Nets will blow out the Cavaliers in this one, but we do think there's a very good chance they win this game. 

The Nets are also 13-5 ATS in games with totals between 220 and 229.5 this year, with Brooklyn winning those by an average of 8.5 points per game. The reason for that is simply that having elite isolation scorers, like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, is a massive luxury in games that are expected to be lower in scoring. 

Cleveland is a very good basketball team — and the crowd will definitely be rocking here — but the Nets have won eight in a row and 12 of their last 13. This is the hottest team in basketball and we think the Cavaliers will have trouble in this spot. 

BET: Nets +2.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Nets vs. Cavaliers Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Nets vs. Cavaliers

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat, 7:30PM ET

It's never really easy betting against the Heat, but Miami has just looked lousy all season. Minnesota hasn't exactly been stellar this year, but the team does match up rather well with its opponent here. Rudy Gobert should be able to handle the Bam Adebayo assignment — assuming Adebayo ends up playing through his shoulder injury. Also, the Timberwolves just might have a little too much firepower with Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell both being capable of doing damage with the ball in their hands. Edwards has been especially impressive as of late, as he has taken his game to another level as a playmaker. 

Miami is also just 3-13 ATS in home games this season — and 3-12 ATS as a home favorite. Meanwhile, Minnesota is 13-4 ATS off a road loss by 10 or more points over the last two seasons, so the Timberwolves are a bit more likely to bounce back from their most recent disappointing performance than the Heat are. 

BET: Wolves +3.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

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

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Houston Rockets vs. Chicago Bulls, 8:00PM ET

The Bulls have looked a lot more inspired since it was leaked that things got testy between some of the top players on the team. This does, however, feel like a bit of an overreaction from the oddsmakers, as the Rockets aren't nearly as bad as their record. They might be on a five-game losing streak, but they are still 10-8 ATS over their last 18 games. And overall, we think they have a good shot of keeping this game from getting out of hand. 

The loss of Alex Caruso is something that is being overlooked a bit, as he is the best perimeter defender that Chicago has to offer. Against a Houston team that is full of young talent on the perimeter, that will be hard to overcome. The Rockets are also 8-6-2 ATS as underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season. They're also 6-3-1 ATS against Eastern Conference opponents. 

BET: Rockets +7.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Rockets vs. Bulls Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Rockets vs. Bulls

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.

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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. 

🔥 Nets +2.5
🔥 Timberwolves +3.5
🔥 Rockets +7.5 

*All odds and lines correct at time of publishing