The NBA regular season is back with a solid slate of games on Monday night, with a total of five matchups scheduled for today, featuring and excellent nationally televised doubleheader on Peacock, as Pistons vs Celtics takes center stage at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by Rockets vs Nuggets at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified NBA picks for all five of tonight's matchups.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Monday, December 15.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions: Monday, December 15
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
  | 9 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Raptors vs. Heat
By Joe Dellera
The Raptors face off against the Heat on Monday night in a clear pace-up spot for Toronto.
Barnes has at least four dimes in every game without RJ Barrett, and he averages 5.8 assists in games without him. His overall passes made have seen an uptick as well.
This is a matchup against the Heat who play at a blistering pace and allow the seventh-most assists per game to their opponents.
I’m backing Scottie Barnes to perform in the assists market in this spot.
Pick: Scottie Barnes Over 4.5 Assists (-140)
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Pistons vs. Celtics
By Bet Labs
The NBA system titled "Home Rebounds Trends" in spread betting is built on the idea that strong home teams with consistent rebounding form and stable scoring patterns tend to deliver reliable spread performances when the market prices them within a reasonable moneyline range.
By focusing on home teams with solid ATS results in their own building, a sustained run of strong offensive rebounding across five games, and a recent scoring trend that sits just above league norms without being inflated, the system targets teams whose advantages are real rather than driven by short bursts of variance.
Limiting the sample to regular season games ensures predictable motivation and rotation patterns, while requiring the team to be at home captures the benefits of familiarity, rest structure, and crowd support.
When these factors align and the moneyline range stays between -130 and -250, the favorite tends to be priced fairly and capable of controlling the game through rebounding and steady offense, creating a profitable long term position.
Pick: Celtics -2 (-110)
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Rockets vs. Nuggets
The Rockets are the best defensive rebounding team in the NBA, allowing a league-fewest 38.2 boards per 100 possessions — more two fewer than anyone else in the NBA.
Watson grabbed just two boards last game against the Kings, but he's otherwise been consistently 5-8 range this month.
Watson's points + rebounds line is 17.5.
He's gone over that number in 4-of-5 and in 9-of-11 — including a 9-point, 10-rebound performance against the Rockets earlier this season.
Pick: Peyton Watson Over 17.5 Points + Rebounds (-125)
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Mavericks vs. Jazz
By Bet Labs
The NBA system titled "Contrarian Overs, Good Road Teams" in totals betting is built on the idea that strong traveling teams can drive pace and scoring in matchups where the market leans too heavily toward the under.
By focusing on regular season games outside of division play, the system avoids slower rivalry environments and taps into contests that tend to be more open and less physical.
It targets overs specifically when the betting public and money trends show a clear lean toward the under, creating a contrarian opportunity where expectations are suppressed but conditions for scoring remain strong.
The away team must be early enough in its season to still carry energy and identity, and it must also be coming off a decisive win, a signal that its offense and confidence are functioning at a high level.
When these elements align, strong road teams often set the tone, push pace, and elevate scoring beyond market expectations, making the over more attractive precisely when it is being overlooked.
Pick: Over 239.5 (-110)
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Grizzlies vs. Clippers
By Bet Labs
This NBA system identifies regular season matchups where efficient but undervalued teams face opponents with poor defensive metrics.
When a team’s underlying performance indicators, such as Pythagorean strength, exceed public perception, the betting market often undervalues them against weak defensive opponents who allow high scoring efficiency.
These games typically feature modest moneylines that signal balance but overlook the defensive mismatch.
Slight movement toward the undervalued side reinforces that bettors are slowly recognizing the edge, yet the market remains mispriced.
Over recent seasons, this pattern has rewarded teams whose true performance levels are masked by variance while exploiting opponents that consistently fail to contain efficient offenses, creating a steady opportunity on the moneyline.
Pick: Clippers Moneyline (-165)
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