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NBA Best Bets Today: Top Betting Predictions for Friday Dec. 5th | Deadspin.com

NBA Best Bets Today: Top Betting Predictions for Friday Dec. 5th | Deadspin.com

Dec 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) controls the ball as Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Winning an NBA bet or two can be a great way to boost your Christmas shopping bankroll, and with 12 games on Friday night, there are plenty of markets for fans to choose from. 

To give you a helping hand, we’ve identified three as our Best NBA Bets of the Day.

Of course, with 12 games and a couple of hundred markets per game, there are more than just three good bets available. These are just the three we like most.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics

Typically, a clash between these two storied rivals is almost predestined to be a great game. However, neither team will be anywhere close to full strength. The Lakers will be without Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart, and the Celtics will be down Jayson Tatum and could be without Jaylen Brown as well.

Brown is considered questionable after missing Thursday’s game due to illness.

Our Pick: Lakers +7 at -114 (FanDuel)

There is a strong chance that the Celtics will have Jaylen Brown back, but the Lakers will be down two of their best players. However, Austin Reeves has already proven he can step up and fill the void, but he will not have to do it alone, with DeAndre Ayton and LeBron James chipping in.

I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Lakers win, but out of respect for the Celtics, I’ll take the Lakers and the points.

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San Antonio Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Spurs have been without the services of Stephon Castle and Victor Wembenyama for some time, but have managed to keep winning (seven of their last nine) despite their absence. Cleveland, however, is missing more than a couple of players: Darius Garland, Max Strus, Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Larry Nance Jr.

Cleveland started the season well, going 7-3, but has struggled since then, going 6-7 in their last 13 games. They are playing at home, where they have lost three of their previous five games, including their last game on Wednesday (vs. Portland, 122-110).

Our Pick: San Antonio +5 at -110 (FanDuel)

Donovan Mitchell is doing his best to carry the Cavs with so many guys hurt. But with the Spurs likely focused on slowing him down, Cleveland will need someone to step up. I’m not confident in anyone having what it takes.

Cleveland is still a good team, but the Spurs are playing better basketball right now and will make a game of it.

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Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are 21-1; the Mavericks are 8-15; if that’s all you need to hear to get behind the Thunder, that’s understandable. But the Mavericks have been playing solid ball lately, winning their last three and playing solid defense.

The Thunder are dealing with a long list of injuries, but they still have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and have only lost once this season.

Our Pick: Mavericks +15.5

Oklahoma City should win this game; they’ve been dealing with injuries all year long. This game will be no different. However, while they have been dominating on the court and winning games, they aren’t covering with any regularity.

They have gone 5-5 ATS at home and 3-9 ATS in their last nine, all double-digit spreads.

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Deadspin | Celtics sink record-tying 29 treys, rip Pelicans to seal No. 2 in East  Apr 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) and center Neemias Queta (88) celebrate during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images   The Boston Celtics tied an NBA record by making 29 3-point field goals and secured the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs by beating the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 144-118 Friday night.  Boston (55-26) took 59 3-point shots but didn’t put up a shot on its final possession. The record for made 3-pointers in a game is also shared by the 2020 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2024 Celtics and the 2026 Memphis Grizzlies.  The Celtics received 24 points from Sam Hauser, who was 8 of 12 from 3-point territory. Jaylen Brown scored 23 and Payton Pritchard finished with 21 points and 10 assists.  Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans (26-55) with 36. Derik Queen added 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Jordan Hawkins contributed 20 points.  Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair management) didn’t suit up for Boston, which was playing its second game in as many nights.   The New Orleans injury report listed the following players as out: Bryce McGowens (toe fracture), Yves Missi (finger), Trey Murphy III (ankle), Dejounte Murray (hand), Zion Williamson (knee), Saddiq Bey (rest), Herbert Jones (rest) and Karlo Matkovic (back). Murphy (21.5 ppg), Williamson (21.0), Bey (17.7) and Murray (16.7) are the team’s top four scorers.  Boston made 10 3-pointers in the opening quarter and had a 44-25 lead entering the second. Five players made at least one 3-pointer for the Celtics in the first 12 minutes.  The Celtics stretched their lead to 82-46 on a Jordan Walsh 3-pointer with 1:05 left in the first half. Boston hit 61.7% from the field, including 56.7% (17 of 30) from long distance, in the first two quarters and had an 82-51 halftime lead.  Boston surpassed the 100-point mark on a Brown layup that put the Celtics in front 101-61 with 7:09 remaining in the third. New Orleans cut the deficit to 26 points in the fourth, but an 11-0 run gave Boston a 137-97 edge.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Celtics #sink #recordtying #treys #rip #Pelicans #seal #EastApr 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) and center Neemias Queta (88) celebrate during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics tied an NBA record by making 29 3-point field goals and secured the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs by beating the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 144-118 Friday night.

Boston (55-26) took 59 3-point shots but didn’t put up a shot on its final possession. The record for made 3-pointers in a game is also shared by the 2020 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2024 Celtics and the 2026 Memphis Grizzlies.

The Celtics received 24 points from Sam Hauser, who was 8 of 12 from 3-point territory. Jaylen Brown scored 23 and Payton Pritchard finished with 21 points and 10 assists.

Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans (26-55) with 36. Derik Queen added 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Jordan Hawkins contributed 20 points.


Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair management) didn’t suit up for Boston, which was playing its second game in as many nights.

The New Orleans injury report listed the following players as out: Bryce McGowens (toe fracture), Yves Missi (finger), Trey Murphy III (ankle), Dejounte Murray (hand), Zion Williamson (knee), Saddiq Bey (rest), Herbert Jones (rest) and Karlo Matkovic (back). Murphy (21.5 ppg), Williamson (21.0), Bey (17.7) and Murray (16.7) are the team’s top four scorers.

Boston made 10 3-pointers in the opening quarter and had a 44-25 lead entering the second. Five players made at least one 3-pointer for the Celtics in the first 12 minutes.

The Celtics stretched their lead to 82-46 on a Jordan Walsh 3-pointer with 1:05 left in the first half. Boston hit 61.7% from the field, including 56.7% (17 of 30) from long distance, in the first two quarters and had an 82-51 halftime lead.

Boston surpassed the 100-point mark on a Brown layup that put the Celtics in front 101-61 with 7:09 remaining in the third. New Orleans cut the deficit to 26 points in the fourth, but an 11-0 run gave Boston a 137-97 edge.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Celtics #sink #recordtying #treys #rip #Pelicans #seal #East">Deadspin | Celtics sink record-tying 29 treys, rip Pelicans to seal No. 2 in East  Apr 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) and center Neemias Queta (88) celebrate during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images   The Boston Celtics tied an NBA record by making 29 3-point field goals and secured the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs by beating the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 144-118 Friday night.  Boston (55-26) took 59 3-point shots but didn’t put up a shot on its final possession. The record for made 3-pointers in a game is also shared by the 2020 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2024 Celtics and the 2026 Memphis Grizzlies.  The Celtics received 24 points from Sam Hauser, who was 8 of 12 from 3-point territory. Jaylen Brown scored 23 and Payton Pritchard finished with 21 points and 10 assists.  Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans (26-55) with 36. Derik Queen added 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Jordan Hawkins contributed 20 points.  Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair management) didn’t suit up for Boston, which was playing its second game in as many nights.   The New Orleans injury report listed the following players as out: Bryce McGowens (toe fracture), Yves Missi (finger), Trey Murphy III (ankle), Dejounte Murray (hand), Zion Williamson (knee), Saddiq Bey (rest), Herbert Jones (rest) and Karlo Matkovic (back). Murphy (21.5 ppg), Williamson (21.0), Bey (17.7) and Murray (16.7) are the team’s top four scorers.  Boston made 10 3-pointers in the opening quarter and had a 44-25 lead entering the second. Five players made at least one 3-pointer for the Celtics in the first 12 minutes.  The Celtics stretched their lead to 82-46 on a Jordan Walsh 3-pointer with 1:05 left in the first half. Boston hit 61.7% from the field, including 56.7% (17 of 30) from long distance, in the first two quarters and had an 82-51 halftime lead.  Boston surpassed the 100-point mark on a Brown layup that put the Celtics in front 101-61 with 7:09 remaining in the third. New Orleans cut the deficit to 26 points in the fourth, but an 11-0 run gave Boston a 137-97 edge.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Celtics #sink #recordtying #treys #rip #Pelicans #seal #East

West Ham United beat fellow struggler Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 on Friday and dropped Tottenham Hotspur into the Premier League drop zone for the first time this season.

The Spurs are two points behind the Hammers before heading to Sunderland on Sunday.

Valentín Castellanos scored twice in three minutes midway through the second half after Konstantinos Mavropanos put the Hammers 1-0 up with a header just before half-time.

Konstantinos completed the scoring seven minutes from time with an acrobatic volley from a corner kick.

Wolves remained at the bottom of the league and are almost certain to be relegated.

Meanwhile, Spurs’ manager Roberto De Zerbi said his boys must play with courage to escape relegation.

“I don’t want to put confusion inside the players. They have to be with a clear plan of the game and not too much instruction, not too much thinking,” the Italian said Friday at his first press conference.

“They have to play with courage, with personality, and they have to fight. My demand is to show the right spirit I want to see.”

De Zerbi was handed a five-year contract — though with no escape clause if relegated — with the immediate task of Premier League survival.

“What I want to do, what I want to achieve immediately is the character, is the right spirit, the right courage to play, to attack, because the DNA of this club, of this squad, is to find the goal, to score,” he said.

After a week or so of working with the players, he said, “I’m more positive, for sure” about Premier League survival.

Spurs, the reigning Europa League champion, fired Igor Tudor after 44 days of an interim coaching spell that worsened Tottenham’s plight. Tudor was brought in after Thomas Frank lasted just eight months on the job.

De Zerbi paid them respect on Friday.

“I’m not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor because I consider them very good coaches,” he said.

“I try to bring my style, myself, my character, my personality, my passion to help the players. First of all, to show their qualities, because they have a lot of qualities and then to achieve our target, because the most important part now is our target.”

Published on Apr 11, 2026

#Premier #League #Tottenham #relegation #zone #West #Hams #win #Zerbi #optimistic #survival">Premier League — Tottenham into relegation zone after West Ham’s win; De Zerbi optimistic of survival  West Ham United beat fellow struggler Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 on Friday and dropped Tottenham Hotspur into the Premier League drop zone for the first time this season.The Spurs are two points behind the Hammers before heading to Sunderland on Sunday.Valentín Castellanos scored twice in three minutes midway through the second half after Konstantinos Mavropanos put the Hammers 1-0 up with a header just before half-time.Konstantinos completed the scoring seven minutes from time with an acrobatic volley from a corner kick.Wolves remained at the bottom of the league and are almost certain to be relegated.Meanwhile, Spurs’ manager Roberto De Zerbi said his boys must play with courage to escape relegation.“I don’t want to put confusion inside the players. They have to be with a clear plan of the game and not too much instruction, not too much thinking,” the Italian said Friday at his first press conference.“They have to play with courage, with personality, and they have to fight. My demand is to show the right spirit I want to see.”De Zerbi was handed a five-year contract — though with no escape clause if relegated — with the immediate task of Premier League survival.“What I want to do, what I want to achieve immediately is the character, is the right spirit, the right courage to play, to attack, because the DNA of this club, of this squad, is to find the goal, to score,” he said.After a week or so of working with the players, he said, “I’m more positive, for sure” about Premier League survival.Spurs, the reigning Europa League champion, fired Igor Tudor after 44 days of an interim coaching spell that worsened Tottenham’s plight. Tudor was brought in after Thomas Frank lasted just eight months on the job.De Zerbi paid them respect on Friday.“I’m not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor because I consider them very good coaches,” he said.“I try to bring my style, myself, my character, my personality, my passion to help the players. First of all, to show their qualities, because they have a lot of qualities and then to achieve our target, because the most important part now is our target.”Published on Apr 11, 2026  #Premier #League #Tottenham #relegation #zone #West #Hams #win #Zerbi #optimistic #survival

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