NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | December 6

While we wait for the NBA Cup semifinals, it’s a monster Wednesday night for Michigan sportsbooks in the NBA and here are our best picks for the night. You have to start in Detroit where the Pistons are trying to end this horrible 17-game losing streak, but did you know the Spurs have a long losing streak too? Out west, the Clippers try to keep it going against the defending NBA champs.

Pistons +1.5 (-110) at FanDuel

This is more than just an early December regular season game for the Pistons. They have lost a NBA worst 17 straight games. They have had the last couple of days off, and now they get a Memphis team at home playing without star Ja Morant, who is suspended until Dec. 23.

If the Pistons can’t win this game, then it’s going to get real ugly – not that it isn’t already.

The good news is the 5-14 Grizzlies just aren’t that good. Desmond Bane has picked up to scoring slack in Morant’s absence, but Memphis is second to last in the NBA in points at 105.9. Bane is no Durant.

I like the fact that the Pistons had some time off to push the reset button and I like that Bojan Bogdanovic had 22 in his return from injury. The Pistons show some pride and finally get a win.

Timberwolves -12.5 (-110) at BetMGM

Yes, Minnesota has the best record in the NBA right now at 15-4. The T-Wolves are no longer a young team trying to put everything together. They’re here.

Tonight, star Anthony Edwards is a game-time decision with a hip injury. He’s missed the last two games, but the T-Wolves still have Karl-Anthony Towns and are 9-1 at home. They have the best defense in the Western Conference holding teams to 105.9 points and are making almost 12 threes a night.

If not for the Pistons, everyone would be talking about the Spurs. They’ve lost 14 in a row. Top pick Victor Wembanyama will be back after missing the last game with a hip injury, but he can only do so much.

Usually I don’t like picking blowouts in the NBA, this is a lot of points from BetMGM but the Spurs are bad and the T-Wolves are hot.

Nuggets +1 (-112) at DraftKings

When a point spread is this close, it’s almost like a pick’em game, so just pick who you think will win. The Nuggets are 14-7 (but just 8-13 against the spread). Jamal Murray is a maybe for this one. He came back last week after suffering a hamstring injury, and then hurt his ankle.

The Clippers have righted the ship a bit since the James Harden trade. They’re bringing Russell Westbrook off the bench now and starting Harden, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Let’s see if Westbrook ends up being OK with that. LA had their best win of the season last time out, rallying from 22 down against the Warriors.

But Denver has won eight in a row over the Clippers. Reggie Jackson loves playing against his old team in LA, and Denver still has the MVP Nikola Jokic. I think they win, so the point from DraftKings is just a bonus.