NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions for Nikola Jokic, Bucks-Nuggets and Timberwolves-Jazz)
By Peter Dewey
The sports world may be focused on the AFC and NFC Championship Games this weekend, but there's still some great NBA action coming our way on Sunday.
Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo will face off on Sunday night in the Milwaukee Bucks-Denver Nuggets matchup, and the winner could propel himself in the NBA MVP race.
Plus, Luka Doncic and company play for the second time in as many days while Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the late game on Sunday night.
That's a lot to be excited about as an NBA fan if you ask me. I'm focusing big time on the Jokic-Giannis matchup, with a play on the game and a prop bet.
Let's get into all of today's NBA Best Bets!
All odds courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.
NBA Best Bets Record to Date
- NBA Best Bets Record: 103-108-2
NBA Best Bets Today
- Milwaukee Bucks -6.5 vs. Denver Nuggets (-110)
- Minnesota Timberwolves -2.5 vs. Utah Jazz (-110)
- Nikola Jokic OVER 25.5 Points (-125)
Denver Nuggets vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Bucks -6.5 (-110)
Denver enters this game on a four-game winning streak, and Jokic is playing some of his best basketball of the season, posting seven straight games with 25 or more points and averaging 31.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game over that stretch.
However, the Bucks have been a buzzsaw when Khris Middleton, Giannis and Holiday are all healthy this season.
Milwaukee is now ninth in the NBA in offensive rating and eighth in defensive rating while Denver is 12th and 13th in those respective categories. The Nuggets are one of the most efficient teams in the league, ranking fifth in effective field goal percentage.
Neither of these teams are good against the spread in this scenario, as the Bucks are 8-14 ATS as a home favorite and the Nuggets are 6-8 ATS as road dogs this season.
As great as Jokic has been in his last seven games, I’m going to sell high on Denver and back the Bucks to get the win in this matchup. Denver relies heavily on winning the Jokic minutes (plus-9.9 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor, minus-12.7 when he’s off), but I think that will be hard against a star-studded Bucks team.
Utah Jazz vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wolves -2.5 (-110)
The Jazz are going to be without Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell again in this game, and they’ve lost four straight heading into Sunday’s matchup.
While Minnesota may not have D’Angelo Russell (shin, questionable), it hung tough with the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns in its last two games.
There’s no way I’m backing the Jazz with Gobert and Mitchell out of the lineup.
The Jazz are just 4-6 when Mitchell is out of the lineup this season, and they are even worse without Gobert, going 1-7 in the games he’s missed in the 2021-22 campaign.
The Timberwolves are just 7-7 against the spread as a home favorite this season, but I imagine Karl-Anthony Towns is chomping at the bit to face Hassan Whiteside and Rudy Gay in the Utah frontcourt tonight.
I like the Wolves to win this game even if Russell can’t go, so I’ll back them to cover the 2.5.
Nikola Jokic OVER 25.5 Points (-125)
Sticking with the Bucks-Nuggets game, I’m going to back Jokic to stay hot even though I don’t think Denver wins the game.
Jokic has cleared this line in seven straight games, and he’s averaging 26.2 points per game on the season. While the Bucks are solid defensively, they don’t have anyone size wise to match up with Jokic with Brook Lopez out.
Maybe Giannis Antetokounmpo gets a shot on Jokic, but I’d expect Milwaukee to play a lot of zone or put Bobby Portis on the MVP candidate.
When Jokic is playing at this level, there’s no way I’m fading him.
Peter Dewey’s betting record is 103-108-2 (-13.56 units) in the NBA this season. You can find all of his picks here.