Best NBA Bets Today | NBA Picks December 16

The NBA is lining up an exciting Friday night schedule featuring 20 teams across 10 exciting games!

On the second leg of a back-to-back, the New York Knicks look to make it two in a row against the Chicago Bulls. The Toronto Raptors are looking to cut off their three-game slide against a surging Brooklyn Nets team. And closing out the night is a star-studded matchup between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers!

Let's take a look at the bets!

New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls

When: 8:00 PM EST

Moneyline: New York Knicks (+130) @ Caesars Sportsbook

Facing off for the second time in two games, the New York Knicks look to make it two in a row against the Chicago Bulls. The New York Knicks have now won five games in a row, vaulting them to sixth in the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Bulls have lost three of their last five games, now falling to 11th in the East with an eye on revenge for their last game.

Their last match was a tightly contested affair, with the New York Knicks staying in the game by hitting 18 threes on 52.9% efficiency. The Chicago Bulls were scorching from the field, shooting 54.8% for the game, but they were decimated on the glass 31-48 - that'll happen when you go 9-28 from three.

Form really informs the quality of these matchups and the Knicks have a massive advantage against a Bulls team that can't seem to keep up from three-point range. The Bulls were off target in terms of their three-point efficiency last time out, but an improved night shouldn't matter against a Knicks team led by Randle and Brunson's quality.

Brooklyn Nets @ Toronto Raptors

When: 7:30 PM EST

Spread: Brooklyn Nets -1.0 (-117) @ Unibet NJ

The Brooklyn Nets and the Toronto Raptors meet for the last time in the 2022-23 NBA regular season. The Nets have now won four games in a row, and eight of their last 10. The Toronto Raptors on the other hand are slumping, losing their last three and winning just four of their last 10.

The Brooklyn Nets are almost unrecognizable from their early-season form, allowing just 110.9 points per game (8th in the NBA) while limiting teams to 45.3% shooting per game (5th in the NBA). The Toronto Raptors lean on their defense as well, allowing just 110.5 points per game (7th in the NBA) but it hasn't been enough to consistently overcome their own 45.0% shooting efficiency (27th in the NBA).

Don't forget that the Raptors are missing some key pieces in Precious Achiuwa, Otto Porter Jr., and one of the league's best defenders in OG Anunoby. Given the Raptors' recent shooting slump and the form of the Brooklyn Nets, expect another loss for Toronto.

Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Lakers

When: 10:00 PM EST

Spread: Denver Nuggets -1.0 (-110) @ WynnBet

The Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers will face off in a star-studded matchup! The Denver Nuggets have won three straight games, pushing them to third place in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off of a loss though, having gone 5-5 over their last 10 games.

The Denver Nuggets have found success this season through their tremendous scoring efficiency, averaging 116.0 points per game (6th in the NBA) on 50.8% shooting from the field (1st in the NBA) while collecting 28.1 assists per game (2nd in the NBA). The Los Angeles Lakers will try to limit the Denver Nuggets through their defensive effort, where they allow teams to shoot just 46.5% from the field (9th in the NBA) and 34.3% from three-point range (7th in the NBA).

There's a lot of optimism around the Lakers after their recent game against the Celtics, but it's difficult to be convinced. The Lakers are on a relatively positive run, but Denver's passing game will likely be the difference against an improved Los Angeles side.