Best NBA Betting Picks and Parlay Today - Thursday, December 29, 2022

After another winning night with our NBA best bets on Wednesday, we're right back at it and hoping for another profitable evening on Thursday, December 29. Our favorite picks for this slate might have a few surprising calls, but we'll do our best to explain way. But you just need to know that a lot of in-depth analysis went into making these, and that includes using our predictive analytics model and artificial intelligence. With that said, keep reading to get in on the action and start winning today. Also, make sure you also check out our three-leg NBA player props parlay, which we hit just a few days ago. We find some juicy payouts on those, so one win is a good way to boost your bankroll. 

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

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers, 7:00PM ET

The Over has hit in the last four games that the Cavaliers have played, and the team is now set to take on a Pacers team that is sixth in the league in pace of play this season. Cleveland doesn't exactly like to play fast, as the team believes it is at its best in half-court settings. But Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland can do a lot of damage against this Pacers backcourt, making it rather likely that the Cavs put up a big number in this one. And even though Cleveland has one of the best defenses in basketball, Indiana should still be able to help Over bettors out here. 

The Over is actually 37-21 in the home games that Rick Carlisle has coached with the Pacers, and it's also 29-12 when the team has played against an opponent it already lost to earlier in the season in that span. This was just an easy call to make. 

BET: Over 223.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

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

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30PM ET

This seems like insane value to be getting on the Clippers, who appear to have a clean bill of health entering this game. At full strength, it's hard to say there's a team in the league that is better than Los Angeles, on paper. That even applies to a Boston team that is loaded in its own right. And overall, we expect the Clippers to treat this game with a ton of importance, as they're a feisty group and will want to prove that they have what it takes to beat the Celtics. 

The Clippers actually won by 20 when these teams met in Los Angeles back on December 12, and it just isn't hard to see them rolling into Boston and getting the job done. In Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Los Angeles has the only wing duo in the league that is better than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. This should be a bigger play on the spread, and it's worthy of a sprinkle on the moneyline. 

BET: Clippers +6 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Clippers vs. Celtics Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Clippers vs. Celtics

New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:00PM ET

The Knicks have lost the magic that helped them win and cover in eight games in a row. New York now enters this meeting with San Antonio after having lost four in a row, with the team going 0-3-1 against the spread in those games. This season, the Spurs are actually 5-4 ATS when playing as a home underdog of 6 or less points. They're also 6-4 both straight-up and ATS when facing Eastern Conference competition, so this might not be as big of a mismatch as you think. 

With New York being without RJ Barrett, it's just hard to think of where the Knicks will get consistent wing scoring from. Even Barrett has his faults, but he is at least something of a volume scorer for New York. The team will miss him while he's out, and this game could slip away for five in a row. But we're playing it safe and taking the points. 

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

🏀 Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Knicks vs. Spurs

Your game not here? Find out who we're betting on for every basketball game on Thursday 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. 

🔥 Cavs-Pacers Over 223.5
🔥 Clippers +6
🔥 Spurs +5

*All odds and lines correct at time of publishing