NBA Best Bets Today: Predictions for Warriors, Knicks and Cade Cunningham
By Peter Dewey
We have the "Game of the Year" to date in the NBA as the Phoenix Suns put their 16-game win streak to the test against the NBA's best team, the 18-2 Golden State Warriors.
As if Steph Curry, Chris Paul and Devin Booker in primetime wasn't enough, the NBA blessed us with a New York Knicks-Brooklyn Nets matchup in the early window.
SIGN. ME. UP.
We took a step back in yesterday's best bets, suffering some brutal beats in the Minnesota Timberwolves-Indiana Pacers game and with both player props, but that's how things goes in the NBA. Also, I apologize for not predicting the Jonas Valanciunas would score 39 points and shoot 7-for-7 from 3 in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers.
That's on me.
So, let's get into three picks i'm making for tonight's exciting NBA slate:
NBA Best Bets Record to Date
- NBA Best Bets Record: 28-38-1 (-11.9078 units)
NBA Best Bets Today
- New York Knicks +7.0 vs. Brooklyn Nets (-110)
- Golden State Warriors Moneyline vs. Phoenix Suns (+120)
- Cade Cunningham OVER 26.5 Points, Rebounds, Assists (-112)
dark. Exclusive offer. Bet $1, Win $100 if anyone makes a 3-pointer.
New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets: Knicks +7.0 (-110)
The Barclays Center will play host to two cross town rivals as the New York Knicks take on the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn swept the season series in the 2020-21 campaign, but every game was decided by seven or fewer points. The series between these two teams all time is knotted at 101 apiece heading into tonight’s game.
The last two Knicks games at Barclays ended in 112-117 and 112-114 losses.
— Daily Knicks (@DailyKnicksFS) November 30, 2021
Julius Randle averaged 26 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9 assists in those two games.
Will the Knicks get the W tonight in Brooklyn? pic.twitter.com/WHV48225QF
We’re going to see a new-look Knicks lineup, as head coach Tom Thibodeau announced that Kemba Walker (who was struggling mightily defensively) is out of the rotation.
Alec Burks, who started for him in the team’s win over the Atlanta Hawks, will remain in that role and should give the Knicks a boost on both ends of the floor with his hot shooting.
Kemba Walker is out of the Knicks rotation “as of right now,” Tom Thibodeau says. He says he will tighten the rotation moving forward. “It would be tough to play three small guards together,” Thibodeau says. Says he has great respect for Walker and all he’s accomplished.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) November 29, 2021
Burks had 23 points and seven boards in over 39 minutes on Saturday.
Brooklyn is coming off a loss to the Phoenix Suns and will be without Joe Harris (ankle surgery) for the foreseeable future. Sure, the Nets have the two best players in this matchup, but the Knicks have played well in games against playoff opponents so far this year (6-2 record).
RJ Barrett and Derrick Rose are questionable, which could alter this line, but I’m going to lean towards New York as a road underdog, where it is 3-1 against the spread this season.
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns: Warriors Moneyline (+120)
You literally can’t ask for a better matchup than this.
Golden State (18-2) has the best record in the NBA so far this season, but the Suns (17-3) have won 16 straight games and are right on the Warriors’ heels in the Western Conference.
Golden State comes into this game on a winning streak of its own, taking each of its last seven games, but Phoenix has been unbeatable for over a month.
The most impressive part about Golden State’s run is that it is also the best team in the NBA against the spread, going 15-4-1, while Phoenix (11-9 ATS) hasn’t been quite as successful from a betting standpoint.
The Warriors are second in the NBA in offensive rating and No. 1 in defensive rating while the Suns rank seventh and third in those categories. This is going to be as closely contested a game as we could ask.
That being said, Golden State is 7-1 on the road this season including going 6-2 against the spread and 2-0 against the spread as an underdog. Steph Curry has been on fire the past few games, and I think the Suns are due to lose at some point.
Give me the Warriors outright in Phoenix.
Detroit Pistons vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Cade Cunningham OVER 26.5 Points, Rebounds, Assists (-112)
I’ve been rolling with Cunningham a lot lately, and although he’s struggled with his shot (33.5 percent from the field), he’s had some crazy usage so far this season.
Cunningham’s usage rate is currently 25.3 percent this season, and he’s taking 14.1 shots per game while averaging 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. That falls just below this number on his prop, but there is some value in Portland.
Over his last nine games, Cunningham has taken double-digit shots in each game, and he’s gone over this total in five of those nine games. He’s facing the league’s No. 29 defense tonight, and he should have plenty of opportunities as both a passer and scorer. I might sprinkle on his double-double prop (+600) as well.