NBA In-Season Tournament picks: Odds, best bets for Dec. 7

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The NBA in-season tournament semifinals are here.

The Indiana Pacers square off against the Milwaukee Bucks, while the New Orleans Pelicans face the Los Angeles Lakers. The winner of each game will advance to the championship, which takes place on Saturday.

Here’s a closer look at some of our favorite picks heading into the semifinal action.

Pacers vs. Bucks odds and preview

• Pacers (+5.5, +176 ML) vs. Bucks (-210 ML), O/U 257.5

Indiana and Milwaukee have one thing in common: Both teams are excellent offensively. The Pacers lead the league with a 123.6 offensive rating, while the Bucks are right behind at third with a 119.2 rating.

Both teams happen to also rank in the bottom half of the league when it comes to their defensive ratings.

Tyrese Haliburton (26.9 points, 11.9 assists per game) is the engine that drives this high-powered Pacers offense, which boasts eight players who score at least 10 points per game.

Meanwhile, it’s the Giannis Antetokounmpo (30.2 points, 10.7 rebounds) and Damian Lillard (25.6 points, 6.9 assists) show in Milwaukee.

Pacers vs. Bucks In-Season Tournament pick: Over 257.5 (-110 or better)

The over hit in eight of the Pacers’ last 10 games. It hit in seven of the Bucks’ last 10 games, too. The total of 257.5 is a lot, but points will not be hard to come by.

Pelicans vs. Lakers odds and preview

• Pelicans (+2, +108 ML) vs. Lakers (-126 ML), O/U 230.5

After a 3-5 start, the Lakers have won 10 of their last 14 games. Similarly, the Pelicans endured a five-game losing streak in early November, but since then have won eight out of their last 12 games.

Anthony Davis’ consistency has been key for the Lakers. He’s averaging 23 points and 12.6 rebounds while shooting 53.4% from the field. Over his last five games, he’s averaged 26 points, 14 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 blocks per contest.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans recently welcomed back two key pieces. Guard CJ McCollum (20.7 points per game, 36.6% 3-point shooting) returned on Nov. 29 after missing nearly a month. Forward Trey Murphy III (17 points per game, 38.9% from 3-point rage) is back as well.

Pelican vs. Lakers In-Season Tournament pick: Lakers ML (-126 or better)

But we don’t think it will be enough to take down Los Angeles. The Lakers beat the Pelicans in three out of their four matchups last season. With a strong defense and excellent play from Davis and LeBron James, we think Los Angeles wins this one straight up.

Dec. 7 NBA Props: Best bets for In-Season Tournament Semifinals

LeBron James props: O44.5 points + rebounds + assists (-108 or better)

LeBron James put on a clinic to help the Lakers advance to the play-in tournament semifinals. Against the Suns on Tuesday, he finished with 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. The 38-year-old is averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He’s surpassed 44.5 total points, rebounds and assists in seven of his 21 games this year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring props: 30+ points (-220 or better)

Don’t look now, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is squarely in the race for this season’s MVP. It’s early, yes, but the Milwaukee star is averaging 30.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists on the season… all while shooting a whopping 61.1% from the field. Indiana’s defense is suspect at best, and Antetokounmpo should have his way. The Greek Freak has scored more than 30 points in 12 of his 20 games this season.

Best NBA sportsbook apps for In-Season Tournament

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Adam Hensley is a writer for Catena Media based out of Iowa. Since graduating from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in journalism and sports studies, he worked for a variety of publications including Sports Illustrated, the Associated Press and the USA Today Network. He spends his time watching the NBA and both college and professional football.