Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions, Prop Bets for Julius Randle, Dennis Schroder, Nets vs. Bulls)

Sports Illustrated's Peter Dewey breaks down his favorite bets for the NBA action on Monday, Dec. 2.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle is a great prop target on Monday. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Monday’s NBA action features a smaller slate before Tuesday’s NBA Cup games, but that doesn’t mean we can’t place some wagers on it!

On Sunday, Nikola Jokic helped carry the picks to a positive day, hitting a pair of props in the Denver Nuggets’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Now, I’m back with three plays for Monday’s four-game slate, including prop bet plays for Julius Randle and Dennis Schroder.

Let’s dive into the picks, with the main focus coming in an Eastern Conference matchup between two teams expected to be in the lottery mix. 

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• 2024-25 season record: 69-62-2 (+2.85 units)
• OVERALL (since 2021-22 season): 1079-1007-24 (+40.95 units)

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

NBA Best Bets Today

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Brooklyn Nets +7.5 (-108) vs. Chicago Bulls
• Dennis Schroder OVER 21.5 Points (-120) – 0.5 unit
• Julius Randle OVER 6.5 Rebounds (-142) – 0.5 unit

Brooklyn Nets +7.5 (-108) vs. Chicago Bulls

My favorite play of the night is in the Brooklyn Nets-Chicago Bulls matchup, as Brooklyn has a chance to stay hot against the spread on Monday. 

Jordi Fernandez’s Nets have been a tough out all season long, going 13-7-1 against the spread overall and 8-2-1 against the spread as road underdogs in the 2024-25 season.

Even on the second night of a back-to-back, I like the Nets to cover in this game, as they’ve gone 4-0 in that spot so far this season. 

Chicago has some serious flaws, ranking 29th in the NBA in defensive rating, giving up an NBA-high 124.2 points per game this season. 

Brooklyn actually is ahead of the Bulls in net rating this season (20th vs. 25th), and Chicago failed to cover the spread in its lone game as a home favorite this season. 

With Coby White questionable, I have a hard time laying this many points with a Chicago team that simply has decided that getting stops is optional all season long. 

Dennis Schroder OVER 21.5 Points (-120) – 0.5 unit

Nets guard Dennis Schroder could be in line for a big game on Monday, as he’s assumed a larger scoring role with Cam Thomas sidelined.

Schroder is taking a ton of shots lately with Cam Thomas out, attempting 19, 21 and 18 shots over his last three games, clearing this prop on two of those occasions. 

Now, he gets a crack at a Bulls team that loves to push the tempo (No. 1 in the NBA in pace) and ranks just 29th in the league in defensive rating. 

Schroder has been pretty efficient this season, shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from 3 while averaging 18.7 points per game. He’s certainly worth a shot in this prop with his usage spiking more than ever in this Nets offense. 

Julius Randle OVER 6.5 Rebounds (-142) – 0.5 unit

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle is averaging just 6.9 rebounds per game this season – his lowest total in several years. 

However, he did grab nine boards against the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season and has easily cleared 6.5 boards in back-to-back matchups. 

While Randle’s rebounds are down, he’s still averaging 13.7 rebound chances per game. This is a solid matchup against a Lakers team that ranks 25th in the NBA in rebounding percentage this season, so I don’t mind getting him at a discounted number after he opened the season with 7.5 as his rebounds prop on most occasions.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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