Expert NBA Picks and Player Props: Best NBA Bets Today Dec. 23
With Christmas Day right around the corner, tonight’s Tuesday, Dec. 23 schedule gives us a loaded tune-up slate across the league. It’s a great night to shop around sports betting apps, take advantage of sportsbook promotions and lock in some of the best NBA bets before the holiday chaos hits.
We’ve got three favorite game lines, a strong batch of NBA player prop bets today and a same-game parlay built around role players in good spots.
Game Lines
Milwaukee Bucks -1 (-105) vs Indiana Pacers
🏀 Odds via BetMGM 📈
Milwaukee laying just a point feels short for a team that can punish Indiana’s shaky halfcourt defense. The Bucks have multiple options to throw at the undermanned Pacers, but they still struggle when games slow down late in the fourth. With Indiana coming off an intense recent stretch and Milwaukee’s size advantage inside, this sets up as a spot where the Bucks can grind out a road win and cover the short number.
Denver Nuggets -7.5 (-110) vs Dallas Mavericks
🏀 Odds via Caesars Sportsbook 📈
Denver at home, with Nikola Jokic orchestrating everything, has been one of the safest investments in the league for several seasons. Dallas leans heavily on perimeter shot-making and often struggles when forced into long, physical defensive possessions against teams that cut and move like the Nuggets. With Denver’s continuity and depth advantage in the frontcourt, a comfortable home win by multiple possessions is the expectation, making this one of the best NBA picks today.
San Antonio Spurs +6.5 (-115) vs Oklahoma City Thunder
🏀 Odds via bet365 📈
The Spurs are catching nearly seven points at home despite playing like a top-tier team for most of the season and just coming off their NBA Cup run. Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and the rest of San Antonio’s core push the pace, space the floor and can attack Oklahoma City’s smaller lineups in the paint. Even if the Thunder ultimately sneak out a win, San Antonio’s shot creation and improved defense give them plenty of paths to keep this game inside the number.
Player Props
Quentin Grimes over 1.5 made threes (-122)
🏀 Odds via BetMGM 📈
Philadelphia uses Quentin Grimes as a floor-spacer on the wing and his minutes spike in any game where the Sixers need additional shooting. Against a Nets team that tends to collapse the paint and dare role players to shoot, Grimes should see clean catch-and-shoot looks above the break and from the corners. If his volume gets to five or six attempts, clearing two triples is very realistic.
Alexandre Sarr over 8.5 rebounds (-115)
🏀 Odds via Caesars Sportsbook 📈
Alex Sarr has quickly become the centerpiece of Washington’s frontcourt, using his length and mobility to vacuum up boards on both ends. Charlotte’s offense leans heavily on jumpers and drives that often lead to long rebounds, which plays into Sarr’s ability to clean up misses in space. As long as he stays out of foul trouble, his combination of minutes and opportunity makes nine or more rebounds attainable.
Josh Giddey over 8.5 rebounds (-115)
🏀 Odds via bet365 📈
As a stat sheet stuffer in Chicago, Josh Giddey routinely crashes the glass as a big guard, especially in games where the Bulls are trying to ignite transition. Atlanta’s tendency to play small and space the floor means plenty of long rebounds, which favors Giddey’s instincts coming down from the perimeter. With near double-double potential on any given night, this number is low enough to target for NBA best bets today picks.
Myles Turner over 1.5 made threes (-180)
🏀 Odds via Caesars Sportsbook 📈
Indiana will be locked in on the Bucks' guards, which usually leaves Myles Turner as a pick-and-pop release valve above the arc. Turner has steadily increased his three-point volume the past few seasons and Milwaukee's spacing sets are designed to free him at the top of the key. Against his former team, expect Turner to be aggressive.
Anthony Edwards over 28.5 points (-106)
🏀 Odds via BetMGM 📈
Anthony Edwards tends to rise to the occasion in big home games and New York’s physical defense often forces stars to simply beat single coverage. With the Timberwolves relying on Edwards as their primary late-clock option, he should see heavy usage and a huge shot diet, both at the rim and from mid-range. If his jumper is even average, the volume alone gives him a strong chance to push past 30 points.
Collin Gillespie over 5.5 assists (+115)
🏀 Odds via bet365 📈
As a steady ball-handler in the Suns' backcourt, Collin Gillespie’s role is to organize the offense, keep the ball moving and get shooters clean looks. Against a Lakers team that can overhelp and scramble, there will be opportunities for drive-and-kick passes and simple reads out of pick-and-roll. Any game where he pushes into the upper-20s in minutes puts six or more assists firmly in play, especially at plus money.
Anthony Black over 3.5 assists (-162)
🏀 Odds via Caesars Sportsbook 📈
Orlando leans on Anthony Black as a secondary creator who can initiate sets, attack mismatches and find cutters. Portland’s young defense has frequent breakdowns off the ball, which suits Black’s pass-first mindset. With the Magic comfortable playing through multiple ball-handlers, he should rack up potential assists in both halfcourt and transition, making four or more dimes a fair expectation.
James Harden over 23.5 points (-114)
🏀 Odds via BetMGM 📈
Back against his old team, James Harden faces a Rockets defense is extremely good. Even then, Harden is still elite at manipulating pick-and-roll coverages, drawing fouls and hunting switches onto weaker defenders. In a matchup where the Clippers will need his scoring punch to keep pace, mid-20s in points is a reasonable projection, which keeps this at the top of our NBA player props tonight list.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win Today’s Best Parlay
🏀 Combined Parlay Odds: +596 (via bet365) 📈
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Max Christie over 7.5 points (+100)
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Jaxson Hayes over 5.5 points (-115)
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Mitchell Robinson over 6.5 points (-116)
This three-leg parlay leans on role players who benefit from the attention stars receive. Christie’s spacing and cutting should produce clean looks, Hayes can rack up points as a lob threat and offensive rebounder against Phoenix’s front line, and Robinson lives off putbacks and dump-offs against a Minnesota team focused on containing New York’s guards. If each simply plays to their normal usage, this plus-money combo has a realistic path to cashing and headlines our NBA parlay picks today.
As the league gears up for the marquee Christmas schedule, tonight’s board still has plenty of edges to hunt. Whether you’re riding with these game lines, mixing in a few NBA best player props for today or tailing the parlay, it's a great slate across the NBA.
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All Odds as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Dec. 23
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