NBA Tuesday Best Bets Include Warriors-Bucks, Celtics-Lakers

NBA on TNT features a doubleheader featuring Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers. I'll handicap and make picks for Pelicans-Jazz, Celtics-Lakers, Warriors-Bucks, and Suns-Rockets.

New Orleans Pelicans (18-8) play Utah Jazz (15-14) in the first of a back-to-back in Utah. The Jazz upset the Pelicans 122-121 in NOLA on Oct. 23.

The Pelicans have won seven straight games. New Orleans is first in non-garbage time net rating (nRTG) at +11.7 and second-best ATS margin at -8.8 over the past two weeks. All-Star Zion Williamson has stepped up since Brandon Ingram was injured.

Utah's defense is atrocious. The Jazz are 26th in non-garbage time defensive rating, per CTG. They are also 24th off of turnovers per game, 25th on second-chance PPG, and 28th fastbreak POG.

Pelicans are the NBA's best bet at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Boston Celtics are 21-7 and Los Angeles Lakers are 11-15. The Celtics lost the first three games of a six-game road stand. They are playing their third game in the last four nights and have a banged-up frontcourt. Los Lakers have the best shot quality in NBA and attempt the most shots at the rim. Celtics were -4 last night vs. a Clippers team at full strength and 3.5-point favorites earlier this season at Grizzlies.

NBA Tuesday Best Bets Include Warriors-Bucks, Celtics-Lakers. Lakers are down to +3.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Milwaukee has played well vs. top-tier teams. Golden State hasn't. The Bucks are 6-0 SU vs teams in the top 10 of non-garbage time nRTG.

Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks are both missing key players. Warriors SF Andrew Wiggins is already out with a hip injury. Bucks PG Jrue Holiday is doubtful.

Milwaukee is 10-5 ATS as home favorites this season. The home team in Warriors-Bucks has won four straight dating back to Christmas 2020. Golden State is 2-11 SU with a -7.2 adjusted nRTG and 3-10 AATS with -9. 2 ATC margin.

NBA Tuesday Best Bets Include Warriors-Bucks, Celtics-Lakers and Bucks -4 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Rockets are playing Phoenix at the Toyota Center at 8 p.m. ET. Rockets SG Jalen Green is a boom-or-bust player but has scored at least 27 points in three of five games in December. Phoenix is dead-last in the Association in non-garbage time defensive free-throw attempt rate. Houston is sixth in offensive free throw attempt per game. The referee crew is 12-6 to the Over this season.

Rockets SG Jalen Green is a best bet at DraftKings Sportsbook. New Draft Kings users can get up to a $1,000 deposit bonus and receive a 20% first deposit match up up until the first sign-up.