Sidelines’ Best NBA Betting Lines December 6

10 games on the NBA calendar today, including the first opportunity for both the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns to spark a new winning streak after recent losses. On the other side of the coin, we’re guaranteed to see either the Detroit Pistons or the Oklahoma City Thunder leave the floor with a victory for the first time in nine games. As a famous ad campaign once noted, we are all witnesses…

Denver Nuggets at Chicago Bulls

Best Bet: Bulls -4.5 / -110 (BetMGM)

The Chicago Bulls boast (arguably) the hottest offense in the NBA, averaging 118 points per game over their last five contests. On Monday, they’ll host a Nuggets team who not only has the fifth-worst scoring offense in the league (104.0 PPG), but are also just 4-7 against the spread as the away team this season.

The Denver Nuggets have only managed to scrape together four road wins this season, two of which came over the past seven days. With six players already ruled out tonight (including three in the league’s health and safety protocols), they’ll have a tough time improving on their 11-11 record against a Bulls squad that ranks in the top 10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense. 

The Bulls – 7-4 ATS as the home favorite this year – will be looking to sweep the season series: Back on November 19, Zach LaVine led all scorers with 36 points, pacing Chicago to a 114-108 victory in Denver.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Detroit Pistons

Best Bets: Pistons ML / -179  (WynnBet)

Both of these teams come into tonight with three days rest, and both are looking to break eight-game losing streaks. However, only one of these teams – the Oklahoma City Thunder – is fresh off of an historic 73-point loss. 

Over their past 10 contests, Oklahoma City is averaging just 96.7 PPG while shooting a paltry 40.3 percent from the field. It might be hard for them to hit even those numbers if star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t cleared from the concussion that he suffered against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

The Detroit Pistons are just 2-8 at home this season, however, they’re also a respectable 5-5 ATS in those games. The Pistons aren’t a good team by most measures, but they usually find a way to keep it competitive (for the most part). They’ve covered the spread in three of their last four at Little Caesars Arena, and are 9-2 ATS overall in their last 11 games following an outright loss.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks

Best Bet: Over 213.5/-110 (FanDuel)

Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf soreness) doesn’t suit up for the Bucks on Monday, expect a lot of points in this one. Without the reigning Finals MVP in the lineup two nights ago, Milwaukee still managed to put up 124 points against a stout Miami Heat defense in a 22-point victory.

The Cavs are no slouches on the offensive end, either: While just 4-3 in their last seven outings, Cleveland is averaging 111.6 PPG over that same stretch. They haven’t missed a beat after losing Collin Sexton to a knee injury last month, and are 8-4 on the road this season despite an overall record of 13-11.

Cleveland is a league best 9-2-1 ATS as the road team this season, but Giannis’ questionable status makes that a… questionable play at best. The Bucks’ offense has been a machine since the start of November (averaging 111.3 PPG since Halloween), and the over has gone 4-1 in Milwaukee’s last five games overall.

Memphis Grizzlies at Miami Heat

Best Bet: Heat -4.5 / -110 (DraftKings)

Reinforcements appear to be on the way for the Miami Heat: According to multiple sources, Jimmy Butler is expected to return to the Miami lineup tonight after missing the last four games with a tailbone injury.

The Heat have desperately missed Butler on both ends of the floor as they’ve gone just 1-3 over the past week without his services. They’re an excellent 6-3 ATS as the home team this season, out-scoring opponents by an average of 6.1 points per game at FTX Arena.

The Memphis Grizzlies haven’t dropped a game since losing Ja Morant to a knee injury, but two of those four victories came against the Sacramento Kings and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies’ scoring average over that stretch (118.8 PPG) is wildly skewed by that 152-point outburst against the Thunder on Thursday…  we’ll see how good they truly are against a Heat team that allows just 104.5 PPG, and just 102.2 PPG at home.