The 2024-25 NBA season is underway. Make sure you check out the fantastic work of Jonathan Von Tobel, who will be writing NBA deep-dive features for us twice per week this year. And try to listen to A Numbers Game every morning, as Kelley Bydlon often dishes out his favorite NBA picks. But I’ll be giving out NBA best bets and player props here as often as possible, and I’ll also occasionally write up features on big news that shakes up the league. So, make sure you check out my work throughout the season. With that out of the way, let’s get into some NBA best bets and NBA player props for Sunday, December 1st. Also, make sure you check out the picks page (linked right below) before games tip off. I occasionally add picks throughout the day.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on December 1st
NBA Best Bets Today – December 1st
Orlando Magic at Brooklyn Nets – 3:30 pm ET
It stings a little that Brooklyn is currently without Cam Thomas, but it still feels like the Nets are getting too many points against the Magic. I know Orlando has continued to look like a wagon, even without Paolo Banchero. But I like this matchup for Brooklyn. Over the last 10 games, the Nets are sixth in the league in offensive rating. So, they’re as equipped as anyone to try and get the better of an elite Magic defense. Also, I like some of the defensive matchups for Brooklyn here. Dennis Schroder should be able to hound Jalen Suggs at the point of attack, and doing that could really throw off Orlando. The Nets also happen to have several long, rangy defenders to put on Franz Wagner.
Brooklyn is also 13-7 against the spread on the season, and Orlando is just 5-7 ATS on the road. And Jordi Fernandez has already proven to be a very good coach when it comes to making adjustments, so I trust that he’ll have the guys ready to go after losing by 23 against the Magic a few days ago.
All in all, the fact that Brooklyn was +7.5 against Orlando on Friday, lost by 23 and is now getting fewer points says a lot. The oddsmakers don’t see that result happening again.
Bet: Nets +6.5 (-110 – 2 units)
NBA Player Props Today – December 1st
Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks – 9:00 pm ET
Toumani Camara has had at least 15 combined points and rebounds in two of his last three games, and he has also done it in 10 of the 20 games he has played this season. Camara is one of the only players that Chauncey Billups knows he can rely on to consistently impact games on both ends of the floor. For a Portland team that can struggle defensively, that’s absolutely massive. That said, I’d be surprised if Camara doesn’t play 30 or so minutes against the Mavericks. The Blazers can use a defender like him against a team that can really score. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised if Portland uses him on Kyrie Irving throughout this one. But Camara will also make his mark offensively, and he’ll also do some work on the glass. So, at +100 odds, you might as well take a shot on this. He’s going to get some open looks from deep, and he’s also going to find ways to score in transition, or as a cutter.
Bet: Camara Over 14.5 Points + Rebounds (+100)
Parlays/Teasers/Late Added Plays/In-Season Futures
TEASER: Rockets +6.5 vs. Thunder & Jazz +12.5 vs. Lakers (-120 – 1.5 units) – I thought hard about playing the Rockets at +1.5 today, as I genuinely like their chances of beating the Thunder. However, I also had a lean on the Jazz at +7.5, so I figured this was a good game to tease. I know people absolutely hate NBA teasers, but I’ll take an extra five points with two teams I like to cover the regular numbers. But if you don’t want to tail this, I absolutely get it. Realistically, it’s hard not to like Houston to keep tonight’s game close. This is a team that is 8-3 SU at home, and the Rockets are a tough matchup for the Thunder. Houston has the type of lengthy, active defenders that can hound Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. And Alperen Sengun has been much better than expected as a rim protector this year. He’s a big part of the reason that Houston is third in the league in adjusted defensive rating (107.4) — as are Tari Eason and Amen Thompson.
As for the Jazz, I just think this team is good enough to take advantage of a Lakers team that is miserable defensively right now. Los Angeles is 24th in the league in defensive rating over the last 10 games. And if Utah is able to create easy offense here, the team should be able to hang around in a home game. The Lakers also seem like they’ll be missing D’Angelo Russell, and Austin Reaves is questionable. So, even though Utah burned me as the second leg of a teaser last night, I’ll put some trust in them to figure it out here. Los Angeles is just 4-5 SU on the road this year, and the team is also 1-4 SU in its last five games. Just winning this game will be a challenge for the Lakers, so winning by 13 will be very difficult.
PARLAY: Grizzlies ML vs. Pacers & Kings ML vs. Spurs (-109 – 1.5 units) – Tyrese Haliburton has been a disaster on the road this year, and that’s a big part of the reason the Pacers are just 2-8 SU when playing away from home. Well, Indiana now takes on a Memphis team that is 9-3 SU at home and 7-3 SU against Eastern Conference opponents. The Grizzlies really should be able to handle this opponent, as they’re just as good offensively and worlds better defensively. Meanwhile, the Kings are hosting a Spurs team that has lost five of its seven road games this year. Sacramento will be starving for a win, as the team has lost five of its last six overall. So, even though the Spurs have had three full days of rest, I like the Kings to get back in the win column at home. Under Mike Brown, Sacramento is 40-20 SU as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Kings are also 8-6 SU when trying to get revenge for a loss as a road favorite under Brown, and the team did lose by 20 when it faced the Spurs in San Antonio.
Raptors +5.5 (-125 – 1.5 units) vs. Heat & Raptors ML (+165 – 0.5 units) – I’m not taking the Raptors at the normal number, but I’m buying a point and also sprinkling the moneyline. I wanted to get through the key number of 5, but I can honestly see Toronto winning this game outright. The Heat just can’t be trusted to win on the road, and the Raptors have been a feisty team all year long. This is the type of game that Toronto should be able to win, as the talent mismatch just isn’t all that big here. In fact, Scottie Barnes will be the best player on the floor here, and the wing duo of him and RJ Barrett should give Miami all sorts of problems.
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2024-25 NBA Record: 85-78 (+5.28 units)
