Thursday NBA Betting Guide: Key Spreads and Totals to Target

Several of the NBA's best teams -- the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets — take the court Thursday as part of a nine-game slate.

Not only is there potential for entertaining games, but numerous options when it comes to betting.

Options are good to have, but I’ve narrowed them down to the following games for my NBA Best Bets list for today (odds via DraftKings).

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Detroit Pistons

Pistons -14.5 at -110

It’s a large spread no matter how you look at this game, but considering how the Pistons only won by three and nine points in the first two games vs. the 76ers, maybe it’s too much? I certainly thought so, but then I saw the injury report. Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are not suiting up for the 76ers.

Without them, against a solid Pistons team that plays good defense against the league's best players, it’s going to be a bloodbath. Detroit is only 15-17 ATS at home, but today they’ll make it 16-17.

Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs

Spurs -4.5

Denver may be a little tired after throwing up 129 points (to 93) on the Houston Rockets in Denver last night. The Spurs faced a difficult challenge as well their last time out, overcoming the Boston Celtics at home, winning 125-116, but that was on Tuesday (rest advantage—Spurs).

The last time these two teams played. Victor Wembanyama did not suit up for the Spurs, but San Antonio still beat the Nuggets, 139-136 in Denver. He is listed as a game-time decision for this game due to a sore right ankle (Harrison Barnes and Lindsey Waters III are also GTD). Peyton Watson is out for Denver.

Even with Wembanyama’s status in question, I’m good with taking the Spurs at -4.5. San Antonio has gone 19-12 ATS at home and 10-4 SU in games without Wembanyama. When you consider how much the line adjusts when he’s out, chances are they were underdogs in many of those matchups.

Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

This is going to be a fun one between two NBA Finals contenders. In Boston, we have a team that is strong on the perimeter, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown taking threes, and a versatile defense that is challenging even for an offense like OKC's.

In the Thunder, we have a team that ranks in the top three in the league in both scoring and defense. Boston’s defense ranks No. 1 by .7 points per game (107.9 to 107.2). On paper, this one looks like it could turn into a dogfight, with whoever has the ball last winning.

My Pick: UNDER 216.5

I was tempted to go with the OVER because of the potential both offenses have despite facing a solid defense. Then I noticed how the OVER was 2-3 for both in the last five games. That tells me there is a good chance both defense flex their muscles in this game, and it ends up being a low-scoring affair.