Best NBA Betting Picks and Parlay Today - Wednesday, December 21, 2022

We've been cruising with our NBA best bets over the last week, so why not join us with our three favorite picks of the night for Wednesday, December 21? This slate is headlined by the Golden State Warriors facing the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers hosting the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA TV doubleheader. However, we're looking elsewhere for our action, as we like some other games a bit more. We also have an NBA player props parlay that you'll want to throw a little something on, as we've hit a few of these this year and it can be an instant bankroll booster. 

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.

PROPS: NBA Player Props for Warriors vs. Nets tonight

Best NBA Bets Today

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:00PM ET

Over the last two seasons, the Cavaliers are 19-9 against the spread when facing teams that make at least 46.0% of their shots. Cleveland has won those games by an average of 4.8 points per game. The Cavaliers are also 34-22 ATS when playing against teams with winning records in that span, so they have been competitive in meetings with good basketball teams. Now, we're counting on Cleveland to come up big against Milwaukee. 

One thing we love about the Cavaliers in this matchup is that they do have the size required to disrupt Giannis Antetokounmpo. Neither one of these players will handle the responsibility on their own, but having Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to use their length to contest his shots is a huge luxury. That will help Cleveland avoid getting lit up by Milwaukee here, and we think the Cavaliers have what it takes to score a good amount of points against a Bucks team that is second in the league in defensive rating (the Cavaliers are first). 

Jrue Holiday happens to be a great on-ball defender, but good offense generally beats good defense. Both Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell should be able to get it going, even if Holiday guards them a bit. 

BET: Cavs -1.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Bucks vs. Cavaliers Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Bucks vs. Cavaliers
RELATED: Bucks vs. Cavs Player Props 

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Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks, 7:30PM ET

The Raptors put up a great effort in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, but they have still lost each of their last six games. Meanwhile, the Knicks are on an eight-game winning streak, and they have looked excellent on both ends of the floor in that time. And New York isn't just winning games outright, but the team is covering while doing so. The Knicks have covered in all eight of their wins during this streak. 

While this spread is a little smaller than you might have expected, the Knicks have thrived in these situations. Over the last three seasons, New York is 44-20 ATS when the line is +3 to -3. The Knicks are also 21-8 ATS when playing on back-to-back days in that same span, and that says a lot about the mental makeup of this basketball team. 

Toronto probably has the most talented players on the floor in this one, which is always scary to bet against. But New York isn't exactly full of slouches, and the team is playing together right now. We're keeping it simple and playing the hot team over the cold one. 

BET: Knicks -1.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

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

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Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks, 7:30PM ET

The Bulls were able to come out on top in a slugfest against the Miami Heat last night, but this meeting with the Hawks is surely to be very different. Five of the last six games that Atlanta has played have gone Over the total, with the last one seeing the Hawks and the Orlando Magic combining to score 251 points. This one might not be as high scoring as that one, but the Bulls and Hawks did combine to score 245 points when they met on December 11. 

These are just two teams that aren't very disciplined on the defensive end, with both teams being right near the middle of the pack in defensive rating. But both are in the top 10 in pace of play, which is part of the reason we like this one to turn into a track meet.

We're simply rolling with the Over until Atlanta proves to us that it has any sort of interest in becoming a better team defensively. 

BET: Over 235.5 (-110) with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️.

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

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

🔥 Cavaliers -1.5
🔥 Knicks -1.5 
🔥 Bulls-Hawks Over 235.5

*All odds and lines correct at time of publishing