Today is one of my favorite days of the year. I embrace spending time with my family and friends, but one of the first things I do is check all the sports betting apps to see if they have any Christmas deals (FOX Bet | FanDuel). There are plenty of new user deals this time of the year, which means it is one of the best times to sign up for apps that you haven’t signed up for already. Once I check for deals, I check the betting lines for the one bowl game and the NBA games. NBA is to Christmas like NFL is to Thanksgiving because the games are always on while enjoying time with family. Let’s look to see what are the best bets today.
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Atlanta Hawks Moneyline +175 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Both of these teams have struggled to come away with wins in December. The Hawks are coming off of a quality win against the 76ers. That is a great win for them and proves they can beat a talented basketball team. The Knicks haven’t proven they can get quality wins this year. They have three wins during December, and the combined records of those teams are 28-67. Those teams are all ranked in the bottom five of the league. Until New York starts winning, bettors can get value betting against them. This game is one of those opportunities, and the Hawks are an underdog. These teams don’t like each other ever since the Hawks knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs last year, which means this game will be a dogfight, but the Hawks have the upper hand.
Golden State Warriors +5.5 -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
The Warrior’s Moneyline is a good play also. Both of these teams are playing phenomenal basketball. They are ranked my number 1&2 teams in the NBA and have been all season long. They can score and play defense consistently. The Warriors are 1-1 against the Suns this year, and last time they played each other, the Warriors won 118-96. With the NBA having a rapid increase of players going into safety protocol, check player availability and lower the number of units. This game is a great value play as long as everyone remains healthy for the Warriors. Bet the value, but be cautious.
Brooklyn Nets +1 -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
The Nets might have the most talented roster in the NBA. They haven’t looked like it at times, but they have three of the top 15 players in the NBA. Kyrie Irving hasn’t been playing, but Kevin Durant and James Harden are still two of the best players in the NBA. They have started to hit their stride in December. Durant will still be in health and safety protocols for this game, but Harden will be playing. The Lakers have struggled to find a win lately. They are on a four-game skid including a 138-110 loss against one of the worst teams in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs. Like the Knicks, until the Lakers can prove they can win these games, there is betting value against them. This game is an opportunity to get the Nets when they are heating up and playing against a cold Lakers team.
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Cameron Lynch is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Cameron, check out his archive and follow him @captron26.