NBA Best Bets Today: Predictions for Terry Rozier, Hornets and Christian Wood
By Peter Dewey
There are a pair of double-digit favorites in Monday night’s NBA slate, but I’m picking against one of them in the latest edition of NBA Best Bets.
We’re also going player prop heavy in this slate, as the league’s COVID-19 outbreak has allowed some unsung players to step up in their first real opportunities this season.
Here are my three favorite plays for the Dec. 20 slate:
All odds courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.
NBA Best Bets Record to Date
- NBA Best Bets Record: 55-69-2
NBA Best Bets Today
- Charlotte Hornets +12 vs. Utah Jazz (-110)
- Terry Rozier OVER 14.5 Points (-125)
- Christian Wood OVER 17.5 Points (-120)
Charlotte Hornets vs. Utah Jazz: Hornets +12 (-110)
The Charlotte Hornets are coming off a blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday as they’ll face the Utah Jazz on a back-to-back on Monday night.
Utah has lost back-to-back games at home as a double-digit favorite, and it finds itself in that spot again on Monday.
I know Charlotte was blown out last night, but I think this is a spot to buy low on one of the NBA’s best offenses.
The Hornets scored just 106 points on Sunday, struggling to shoot the ball (36.0 percent from the field, 22.2 percent from 3) in the loss. However, they rank second in the NBA in offensive rating and points per game to… you guess it, the Utah Jazz.
I think this game is going to be a high-scoring affair, but the total is already at 236.5 and climbing, so instead of going to back Charlotte.
The Jazz are just 8-8 against the spread at home this season, and they’re even worse overall as a double-digit favorite, going just 5-7 ATS this season.
The Hornets are still getting back into things with LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier returning from COVID-19 protocols, but I think this is a great bounce-back spot for Charlotte on the road.
Terry Rozier OVER 14.5 Points (-125)
This may be the buy-low spot of the year so far.
I followed a similar path with this a few weeks ago when WynnBET finally dropped R.J. Barrett’s prop number down to 13.5, and they’ve done the same thing with Rozier here.
Terry missed some time in the league’s health and safety protocols, and he’s gone under this prop in three straight games, shooting 3-for-20 over his last two games.
However, Rozier averages 16.3 points per game, takes 14.6 shots and 6.9 3-pointers per game and has a usage rate of 22.5 percent this season. The entire Charlotte Hornets teams struggled against the Phoenix Suns’ elite defense on Sunday, shooting just 36.0 percent from the field.
This is a bounce-back spot for Rozier, and I love that this number has gotten moved below 15 for what should be a high-scoring matchup with the Utah Jazz.
Christian Wood OVER 17.5 Points (-120)
The Houston Rockets and Wood are facing a short-handed Chicago Bulls team, and I think that gives him a chance to have a big game.
Nikola Vucevic isn’t one of the game’s best defensive centers, and while Wood only had 16 points in the first matchup between these two teams, he’s been getting more touches with Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. out of the lineup.
Wood has cleared 20 points in five of his last seven games, scoring 12 in each of the games he failed to reach that number. I think he has a solid game with Chicago still down several rotation players.