NBA Best Bets Today: Predictions for Nikola Jokic, Kings-Celtics and More on Tuesday
By Peter Dewey
We’ve got a loaded NBA slate on Tuesday night, with Anthony Davis making his return to the lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers' matchup with the Brooklyn Nets.
Not only that, but we get another Steph Curry versus Luka Doncic showdown in the late window, and I’ll have a same-game parlay for that matchup later in the day.
However, we’re here for our best bets! As enticing as the primetime games are going to be to watch, I’ve got a couple of lower tier matchups that I have my eye on Tuesday.
All odds courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.
NBA Best Bets Record to Date
- NBA Best Bets Record: 100-102-2
NBA Best Bets Today
- Sacramento Kings +9 vs. Boston Celtics (-110)
- Denver Nuggets-Detroit Pistons OVER 217 (-110)
- Nikola Jokic OVER 25.5 Points (-125)
Sacramento Kings vs. Boston Celtics: Kings +9 (-110)
The Celtics have been an up and down team this season, but they do defend well, ranking fifth in the NBA in defensive rating.
The Kings, on the other hand, are still one of the worst teams in the West, ranking 28th in the league in defensive rating and 15th in offensive rating.
But nine points? Between these two average teams?
If Fox doesn’t play I could see it, but the Kings do have solid depth at the guard spot with Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell.
Boston is just 8-14 against the spread as a home favorite this season, and it has covered the spread in just one time in four games favored by nine or more points.
The Celtics may have a great defense, but they rank in the bottom 10 in the league in offense, so I’m expecting a fast-paced Kings team to keep this game close.
Denver Nuggets vs. Detroit Pistons: OVER 217 (-110)
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are playing the second game of a home and home with the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.
Denver took Sunday’s matchup 117-111, but can it slow down Cade Cunningham and company again?
These two teams played a high-scoring affair on Sunday, and even though the Pistons are 29th in the NBA in offensive rating, the Nuggets have climbed into 11th in the league in that same statistic.
Denver has cleared this total in six consecutive games, and it should have no problem against the Pistons No. 25 ranked defense on Tuesday night.
Detroit is going to need to hold up its end of the bargain for this game to go over, but it is worth noting that the Pistons play at the 11th fastest pace in the NBA.
I got this number at 217, but I’d play up to 218 in this matchup.
Nikola Jokic OVER 25.5 Points (-125)
Nikola Jokic dominated the Pistons on Sunday, scoring 34 points on 12-of-19 shooting.
He’s cleared this number in three straight games, bouncing back from a five-game stretch where he didn’t clear 25 points.
On the season, Jokic is averaging 26.1 points per game, and the volume is going to be there in every game since Denver relies on him so heavily to win. The Pistons are a poor defensive team (25th in the league), so I think Jokic can dominate their frontcourt again on Tuesday.
Peter Dewey’s betting record is 100-102-2 (-11.22 units) in the NBA this season. You can find all of his picks here.