The Sacramento Kings were defeated by the Celtics over the Thanksgiving holiday period, and they will be looking to put that right when they host the Phoenix Sun on Monday night. Here we look ahead to the game and assess their chances in our latest free NBA betting picks.
The Kings tasted defeat on Friday, meaning they have now lost back-to-back matches in the NBA, and they now sit sixth in the Western Conference. As for the Suns, they had two victories over the Thanksgiving holiday period, and sit top of the Western Conference, just one win ahead of the Nuggets.
Overall, the holiday period produced plenty of exciting basketball. There were also good wins for the Celtics, the Warriors, and even back-to-back wins for the Lakers, in what was a great weekend of NBA action.
So, how has this affected the betting to win the 2023 NBA Championship?
Well, there have been some slight changes at the top of the betting to win the 2023 NBA Championship. The Celtics went into the weekend at +500, and after a couple of victories, Boston now find themselves at +475 with the best NBA finals betting sites.
| 2023 NBA Championship Winner Odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +475 | +475 | +475 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Phoenix Suns | +750 | +700 | +750 |
| LA Clippers | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Golden State Warriors | +800 | +900 | +800 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +1400 | +1300 | +1400 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +1800 | +1500 | +1800 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1800 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +2000 | +1800 | +2000 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +2000 | +1800 | +1800 |
The Milwaukee Bucks are still second favorites at +600, with no change in odds. But behind them, the Suns are now third favorites at +750. They’ve passed the Golden State Warriors who remain at +800. The Clippers have slipped from +800, to +900.
The reason why the Suns have seen their odds shorten is because they recorded back-to-back wins over Thanksgiving.
On Friday, Monty Williams’ team defeated the Pistons 108-102 at the Footprint Center, and they then followed that up with another win, this time a lot closer at 113-112, over the Utah Jazz, also at home.
This win was an example of the great character of the team, as they were trailing by 10 points at the end of the first quarter, and really had to dig deep to fight back for the victory. This was the Suns fourth win in a row, and it gives them a ten match record of 6-4.
As for the hosts of Monday’s matchup, the Sacramento Kings, they are 7-3 across their last 10 matches. Included in that run of fixtures is a brilliant seven match winning streak, which included a 153-121 win over the Nets, and a 122-115 win over the Warriors.
That run ended last Wednesday when the Kings lost 115-106 to the Atlanta Hawks. The second defeat, 122-104 away to the Celtics, was more predictable. Boston has been in sensational form this season, so they were widely expected to defeat the Kings at TD Garden last Friday.
The match against the Suns will be a difficult one to try and prevent a third defeat in a row. And after having a brilliant start to November, it would be very disappointing for the Kings if they are to end the month on a losing streak.
The best NBA betting sites are finding it hard to separate the two teams in the betting. On the moneyline, the Suns are just edging favoritism at -115. The Kings are -105.
This means there’s not much of an advantage on the handicap market. The Kings are getting +1 with BetOnline, and they are -110 with their one point advantage. Starting from -1, the Suns are also -110.
The Kings have home advantage, and they also should have the fresher legs, having only played once over the holiday weekend. The Suns have played twice in the same period.
But at the same time, the Kings are also coming off the back of two defeats. Whereas, even though the Suns only won by one point against the Jazz, they are on a four match winning streak.
This really looks like it could go either way, and I’m finding it difficult to pick a winner. There are pros and cons for both teams, and the only thing I can find that separates the two sides is their recent form. As mentioned, the Kings have lost their last two, while the Suns have won their last four.
I wouldn’t go big on this, as I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Kings win. But based on recent form, I’m picking the Phoenix Suns to win as my pick.
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The over and under line seems to be moving around a bit, and some sportsbooks were not pricing it up at the time of writing. The last I saw was over 226.5 points at -110, and under 226.5 points at -110.
In the last five matches involving the Kings, over has come in twice, and it was almost beaten on one other occasion. While in the Suns last five matches, under would have won four times.
With the Suns maybe a touch leggy, and the two sides possibly playing out a tight encounter, I think under 226.5 has to be the pick.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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