Our free NBA Picks are out for Monday, November 29th, 2021! Make sure you check our NBA Picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free NBA Picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!
Denver Nuggets @ Miami Heat – 7:30pm ET
The Denver Nuggets have been slipping lately, losing six straight games. They now continue their 10-game road trip in South Beach, taking on the Miami Heat. This game is sure to have fireworks as their last matchup, which Denver won 113-96, ended with the reigning MVP getting ejected and some Miami players lurking in the hallways after the game. Will there be more non-basketball action or will they settle it on the court? Our experts analyse every aspect.
Denis Kirilov
The game between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat will be one of the most exciting matchups for Monday in the NBA. There is a slight difference in the current performance of both teams as the Nuggets are coming into this match on a 6-game losing streak. They were forced to sideline their superstar, Nikola Jokic, for a couple of games which had a negative impact on the whole team. Denver have lost each of their last three by 10+ points, including a 29-point loss to the high-flying Suns.
The situation in Miami is much better as they are 2nd in the Eastern Conference with 13 wins and 7 losses. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro have simply been on fire since the start of the season. Although Miami suffered some upsets in the process, their performance against top-tier teams is what makes them so dangerous. The coach gives some more time to Gabe Vincent who might have a vital impact throughout the season replacing some of the starting guards for the Heat. On top of that, Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry are hungry for buckets as they occasionally go above 15 points per game. For me, Miami shouldn’t have troubles against this weakened Denver team and they will be able to cover the spread.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Miami Heat -7.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
The last time these two teams faced off things got ugly, both on the scoreboard and on the court. The Nuggets won 113-96, and toward the end of the game the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and the Heat’s Markieff Morris got into a tussle that resulted in Jokic blindsiding Morris and leaving him injured. Expect this one to get chippy, as there is no love lost between these two sides.
On a basketball level, the Denver Nuggets have had a rough go with injuries this season, that recently included Jokic missing time. During his absence they were bullied, and have lost six in a row. Jokic is questionable for the showdown against the Heat on Monday, and if the Nuggets want any chance of repeating that big win from earlier in the season, they better hope he plays.
11.27.21 – The Gabe Vincent Game
16 points in the 4th quarter 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bg0oGjbUyr— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 28, 2021
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have been a bit back and forth. The South Beach squad blew a double-digit lead to the Wizards last week and then two games later were obliterated by a young Timberwolves team. Luckily they got a big win on Saturday night as they beat a very good Bulls team in Chicago. They’ll look to continue this success against the Nuggets, and considering it was their guy in Morris who got hit in the last matchup, they’ll have a little extra motivation. I’ll go with Miami to cover.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat -7.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
This is a matchup that has the potential to be one of the best we’ve seen in a while in the NBA, assuming Denver actually decides to play. They’ve struggled as of late, entering this one on a six game losing streak. Part of that is due to NIkola Jokic missing time with a wrist injury, but there has also been some problems from a meshing standpoint, as right now it just doesn’t seem like the team is clicking the way they did for much of the year last year. If they do get the communication aspect down, and get Jokic back to being fully healthy, this is a team that has the potential to make some noise in the Western Conference.
Miami isn’t really having the same problems though. The Heat have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and the league, all year long, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. With Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo healthy, along with getting good production from Kyle Lowry, this is a team that has the scoring ability to hang with anyone, and the defensive energy (when they decide to put forth that energy) to shut down a lot of teams in the league. Against a team that’s supposed to be one of the better teams in the NBA, I think Miami comes into this one focused, and takes care of business, winning by at least double-digits.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat -7.5 (-110)
Charlotte Hornets @ Chicago Bulls – 8pm ET
There are five teams tied on 13 wins in the Eastern Conference, with the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets being two of those. While both sides will be wanting to bounce back from a tough loss last time out, they will also want to get the win in the first of three meetings between the two sides.
Denis Kirilov
The clash between the Charlotte Hornets and the Chicago Bulls will be very intriguing to follow. Both teams are great in the start of the season as the Bulls are 4th in the East with 13 wins and 8 losses, while the Hornets are two places behind with a 13-9 record. If this performance has been expected from the Bulls, then the progress from Charlotte was quite surprising. The Hornets won eight of their last 10 games, defeating teams like the Warriors, Knicks, Wizards, and Grizzlies.
Both teams come into this fixture off losses. The Bulls suffered a narrow 104-107 loss to the Heat, while the Hornets played a thriller against the Rockets, going down 143-146 after overtime. Between these two rosters, it seems that Chicago was the one who suffered some decline in their performance recently as they lost by 32 points to Indiana, and granted Houston with their second win of the season. For me, the situation within both rosters suggests that there will be plenty of mistakes in defense positions. That’s why I will go with the option for “over points” in this exciting contest in the Eastern Conference.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Over 224.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
After a strong start that was followed by a series of losses, the Charlotte Hornets looked like they were headed for another season of mediocrity. Then they went on a strong run of games where they beat the Wizards twice, the Knicks, and the NBA’s best team the Golden State Warriors. They went on a stretch where they won eight of nine games, before a tough loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night (they still put up 143 points). Now this exhilarating offense finds its way to the “Windy City” as they face off against the gritty Chicago Bulls.
Recently, the Bulls have fluctuated between strong wins and head scratching losses. On Saturday night they had a loss that wasn’t head scratching but was still tough to swallow as they lost 104-107 at home to the Heat, in a game with major playoff implications. They’ll look to bounce back against another team that they could be facing in the playoffs in Charlotte. The Hornets are the league’s second best team in points per game, but the Bulls have a top ten defense. Meanwhile the Hornets defense is ranked near the bottom, but that hasn’t seemed to matter for them—they’ve stepped up in big games. After an off night against the Rockets on Saturday, expect Charlotte to be back in the groove on Monday against the Bulls.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Charlotte Hornets (+188)
Noah Dunlap
Which team decides to play more defense? That’s the biggest question I have for this matchup, as both of these teams have been surprisingly good so far this season. The problem with both of these teams though, comes on the defensive end, as oftentimes the energy on that end of the floor is absolutely abysmal. Behind guys like LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and Miles Bridges, we know the Hornets can score, but can they stop their opponents from scoring? That’s been the question all year long for Charlotte.
The same issues have plagued the Bulls for much of the season. The off-season moves that added Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan have certainly played off, especially on offense, but the defensive energy has dropped off over the past few weeks. This partially explains Chicago’s struggles lately, after starting the year looking like one of the best teams in basketball. I think the scoring ability of Derozan, as well as being at home, gives Chicago a slight nod in this one, but I wouldn’t bother looking at who wins. Instead, be confident in the fact that, with two hot offenses, and two defenses that are not, this game is going to feature a lot of points, making the over the play in this matchup.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Over 224.5 (-110)
Indiana Pacers @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 8pm ET
One night after losing to the Bucks, the Indiana Pacers get on the road to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the Pacers are four games below 0.500 this season and have struggled to piece it all together, the Timberwolves have come alive of late and are the third best team in the Western Conference over the last 10 games, going 7-3.
Denis Kirilov
Although the Indiana Pacers struggled in the beginning of this campaign, they know how to shut down an offensive team. They did so with the Miami Heat as they allowed just 86 points during regular time. The Pacers managed to keep the Knicks at 92 points, the Bulls at 77 points, and the Kings at 91 points. Their main problem comes from the inconsistency in their offensive output. There might be some games when they will score 120 points and in the very next one, they will drop below 90 points.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, on the other hand, enjoyed fantastic progress recently as their trio, Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and D’Angelo Russell started playing well together. This brought them victories over tough opponents in the likes of the Heat, the 76ers, and the Grizzlies. However, I think they will face some troubles against a pretty defense-focused Indiana Pacers side. It’s clear that the Timberwolves will outscore their upcoming opponents, but Indiana will follow a tactical defensive strategy which won’t give any free spaces for Minnesota’s trio to operate. In my opinion, we will see a defense masterclass by the guests who will leave Target Center victorious.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Indiana Pacers (+158)
Michael Lantz
From November 17th to the 24th, the MInnesota Timberlwolves enjoyed a nice five-game win streak that proved that their young squad is ready to compete with the best. This streak included a massive win over the Heat in Miami. Unfortunately so many games in such a short period of time got to them as they were blown out by the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. They then played another game Saturday which resulted in a 121-120 overtime victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. Now the Timberwolves will get back out there on Monday and face the Indiana Pacers on their home court.
In last night’s 121-120 double overtime victory over the 76ers, @Dloading scored 27 of his season-high 35 points in the fourth quarter and both overtimes. Since 1996-97, the 27 points are the most points by a @Timberwolves player after the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/JB3BZ60bGO
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) November 28, 2021
Indiana continues to sway between being a good team and a team that continues to underwhelm. Their wide range of scoring talent makes them lethal at all times, but they’ve just had a hard time consistently putting it together this season. After a 118-100 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday they’ll once again hope to start a win streak against Minnesota. Despite Indiana’s ability to grab big wins when the odds are going against them this year, I’ll take the Timberwolves. Karl Anthony-Towns has been playing more confidently against top big men, so I don’t foresee the likes of Domantas Sabonis scaring him off and while Indiana has guys in the back court that can score too, Minnesota’s opponents have the second worst three-point shooting percentage in basketball. The Timberwolves defense also creates the most opponent turnovers per game, as they’ve been sneaky good on D all year. They’ll be without top defender Patrick Beverly, but I still expect them to cause some issues for this Pacers team. I’ll pick Minnesota.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (-188)
Noah Dunlap
After a rough start to the year, the Indiana Pacers have turned things around a bit, and are now looking to try to get back in the playoff race in the East. They’re doing this primarily on the defensive end, which is something they didn’t have to start the year. The offense has played reasonably well all year, although they have struggled to score just a bit as of late.
I don’t think that bodes well against a team that is playing as well as the Minnesota Timberwolves are. The Wolves are 6-2 in their last eight, and the offense has been flying high in that stretch. With Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell all playing really good basketball, there’s really no doubt that this Minnesota team is going to put up points. The only question is whether they put forth enough effort on the opposite end of the floor to actually win games. As of late they clearly have, and I don’t think that stops in this one. Even with the Pacers playing pretty good defensively, I think Edwards and Towns can score relatively easily, and I like the T’Wolves to play just barely good enough on the defensive end to sneak away with a tight win at home over Indiana.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (-188)
Washington Wizards @ San Antonio Spurs – 8:30pm ET
When looking at the standings, this looks to be a lopsided affair. The Washington Wizards are 13-7 and have established themselves as a top team in the East. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs have struggled through the early stages, unable to establish themselves without a true star to lead them. However, the Wizards are noticeably worse on the road this season while you can never doubt Gregg Popvich.
Denis Kirilov
The Washington Wizards enjoy a remarkable start to this campaign as they are tied 2nd place with the Miami Heat, falling behind just by total points difference. They have managed to acquire some great players who seem to be slowly adapting to one another’s playing styles. The Wizards engaged in a very interesting trade which made them part ways with Russell Westbrook, 2024 second round pick and 2028 second round pick and they got in return Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell. For the long-term, this might not be the greatest decision made by Washington’s management, but looking at the potential that these players bring for the short-term, it seems that it’s really worth it.
The San Antonio Spurs, on the other hand, struggle as expected. They are 13th in the Western Conference with 5 wins and 13 losses. The Spurs were on a 6-game losing streak, before defeating the Celtics at home in their last game. Although, at first sight, this might raise some concerns, it shouldn’t be like that, since they managed to put up some nice fights against the best teams in the NBA at the moment. The Spurs kept themselves within 4 points against the Phoenix Suns and they fought well with the Los Angeles’ teams. I think there is a high chance San Antonio will make an upset tomorrow. The Wizards are definitely tired from all these tight games recently and I am reluctant to go with the Spurs in this one.
Denis’ NBA Pick: San Antonio Spurs (+124)
Michael Lantz
After going on a six-game losing streak, the San Antonio Spurs got a gritty win against the Boston Celtics on Friday night as they shut down their offense to win 96-88 at home. For a Spurs team that’s struggled heavily this year, a win against a Celtics team at full-strength was maybe just what they needed to push their season in the right direction.
On Monday night they’ll have a chance to further prove that as they face a WashingtonWizards team that sits near the top of the Eastern Conference. After losing three of four, the Wizards appear to be back in the winning mindset. They grinded one out against the Oklahoma City Thunder last Friday and then followed up on Saturday with a big road win against a Dallas Mavericks team that had Luka Doncic back in the lineup. They’ll look to take another “Texas sized” victory on Monday night as they play the Spurs in San Antonio. Despite their poor record, San Antonio’s young legs don’t tend to back down from anyone, so the Wizards can’t come expecting to skate by. I don’t think they will, as they have too many pieces for this young Spurs team to handle.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Washington Wizards (-146)
Noah Dunlap
Can San Antonio manage to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the year so far? The Spurs have been as bad as most people expected so far this season, as they just don’t have the talent throughout the lineup to compete with many teams in the NBA with what they bring to the floor game in and game out. If you’re a Spurs fan in need of a slight positive note for the year so far, it’s that at least they’re staying competitive in many of these games, despite not winning.
The problem is that they get one of, if not the best team in the Eastern Conference in this one. With off-season moves that saw Washington deal Russell Westbrook (good move) and get in return a package including Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma, the Wizards look as if they may have turned a corner, and could potentially be in position to be a legitimate contender in a wide open Eastern Conference. I think the Spurs continue their trend of the year here, and keep this one close, before eventually losing a tight one at home to Washington.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Washington Wizards (-146)
Portland Trail Blazers @ Utah Jazz – 9pm ET
Two of the West’s best go head to head as the Utah Jazz hosts the Portland Trail Blazers to round out the night. Both sides will be hoping that they perform better than they have over the last week, with Utah going 2-2 over their last four while the Blazers have dropped two straight, taking their road record for the season to just 1-9.
Denis Kirilov
The Portland Trail Blazers were off to a pretty hesitant start in the NBA this season. However, they managed to bounce back recently as they won 4 straight games against some of the toughest opponents in the League including the Bulls, the 76ers, and the Nuggets. In their last two matches, the Blazers were defeated by the Kings and the Warriors in away matches. Portland struggles a lot on the road this campaign as they have won just 1 out of 10 games so far. This victory came against the weakest team in the NBA, the Houston Rockets, which further raises concerns about their form away from Moda Center.
The Utah Jazz has been one of the best teams in the opening games of the 2021/22 NBA season. However, at the moment they are still 3rd in the West with a 13-7 record, since they lost some narrow games to teams like the Pelicans, the Grizzlies, the Pacers, the Heat, and the Magic. The Jazz are quite inconsistent and that is something they need to work on throughout the season so that they can get the best out of their fantastic team. Utah didn’t manage to live up to their potential just yet and they will be looking to do so this year. As for this game, I think that both teams’ imbalance makes me stay away from picking a winner. However, I will go with “over 222 points” as I believe Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell will have a great battle tomorrow that will push both players beyond their limits.
Denis’ NBA Pick: Over 222 (-110)
Michael Lantz
After a three-game win streak two weeks ago, the Jazz had some questionable results. They lost by one to the Grizzlies, barely survived the Thunder, and then were blanked by the Pelicans, losing 97-98. It’s the second time that the defending Western Conference one-seeders went through a rough patch this season, despite being near full-strength. If they plan to be a legitimate threat, they can’t let games against inferior opponents slip away. They’ll have a tough task on Monday night as they play a Portland Trail Blazer team that’s capable of firing on all cylinders.
SHOWTIME IN UTAH!
Bogey throws it off the glass to Donovan Mitchellpic.twitter.com/LOCu2LymtE— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 28, 2021
Unfortunately, Portland has had similar struggles as the Jazz. Despite being near the full-strength, the team has had a hard time convincing crowds they can compete with the best. After a nice four game win streak in which they looked like the Blazer teams of year’s past, Portland then lost to a dysfunctional Kings team before getting blown out by the league’s best Golden State Warriors. Portland would love to get the taste of that win streak back in their mouth, especially against a Utah team that is incredibly balanced, ranking in the top five in points scored and points against. While Damian Lillard has been back to old form lately, and the Blazers have shown they have various scoring options, I think the more complete Jazz should be able to frustrate them in Salt Lake City.
Michael’s NBA Pick: Utah Jazz (-350)
Noah Dunlap
Portland can’t win on the road. To me, that’s what this matchup ultimately comes down to. After a tough start to the year that saw struggles from both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, they look as if they have righted the ship and are certainly playing better basketball, but that hasn’t changed the results on the road. This is a team that is finally playing better at home, but only has one win on the year away from Portland, and it came against the worst team in the NBA in Houston.
Utah started the year as many expected them to, as one of the best teams in the NBA. Since then, they hit a rough stretch but now look as if they may have come out of the stretch and be on the back side of it, as they’re now playing better basketball once again. They’re 5-2 through their last seven, and the only two losses are both one-point losses. I think they lean heavily on Rudy Gobert in this one, as Portland struggles to stop the big man down low. In addition, I like Donovan Mitchell to contain Dame, while also scoring 25+ of his own, and Utah wins a relatively easy one at home.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Utah Jazz -8 (-112)
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our NBA hub page for all your basketball needs!
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
