3 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Saturday 2/22/25

The 82-game NBA regular season offers us a wide variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and totals. The Association features 1,230 regular season games, which can make sifting through the odds an overwhelming task.

However, various advanced statistics can help narrow the choices. Our NBA projections paired with advanced stats from the NBA can help give the inside track to quality bets.

While utilizing some of the mentioned tools, which NBA odds from FanDuel Sportsbook look like the best bets today?

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All injury news comes from the NBA's official injury report.

Today's Best NBA Bets and Player Props

Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets

Nuggets -7.0 (-110)
Nikola Jokic Over 39.5 Points and Rebounds (-122)

I think we'll see tonight why I thought the Luka Doncic trade locked up the West for the Denver Nuggets.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have yet to beat them in a competitive setting, and the Los Angeles Lakers traded their competitive size for the 25-year-old -- which was the right move. The problem? No one is left to check a peaking Nikola Jokic-led squad.

Denver has a +13.0 net rating (NRTG) over their last 10 games, amassing a 9-1 record. Early-season defensive issues are still there (114.5 DRTG), but they've just obliterated teams with a league-best 127.5 ORTG. Jaxson Hayes isn't going to stop that, and Doncic (35.6% shooting with L.A.) seems a bit rattled by the unexpected deal to keep that brisk pace.

Considering the Nuggets' ownership of this recent rivalry, I'll be checking out alternate spreads when they drop. A blowout is on the horizon.

One of the reasons why is that you need quality options to even make Nikola Jokic uncomfy. The Lakers don't come close to that threshold.

Since the Luka deal, L.A. is a top-15 team allowed in paint points and second-chance points allowed per game. In seven games, they've also just played five games against bottom-10 teams in two-point scoring. The Nuggets (55.7%) score a league-high ratio of their points inside behind Jokic.

Common sense trumps the brief stint of math here. L.A.'s frontcourt options are Jaxson Hayes, Trey Jemison, and Jarred Vanderbilt. I'm not even sure a G-League center is shaking in his boots.

This is another place to look for alternate markets when they drop. Jokic walks into Ball Arena tonight on 30-and-15 watch.

Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz

Under 228.5 Points (-110)

The Houston Rockets were able to stave off the Minnesota Timberwolves on national television last night, but that creates a hairy trip to Salt Lake on Saturday.

We've got tired legs on both sides, as well. The Utah Jazz lost by 23 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, earning the fourth quarter off as they so often do. That at least keeps some of their marquee options fresh -- assuming some combination of Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson don't sit and tank the Jazz's scoring potential.

Early on Saturday morning, the injury report is ambiguous for these two teams, but Utah should struggle to score no matter what against the Rockets' 109.3 DRTG (fourth-best in the NBA). The Notes' road opponents also have shot the 12th-worst percentage from deep this season (35.1%) despite the most attempts per game in the NBA (41.1). It's a hard place for visitors to shoot.

A dual back-to-back scenario and two teams not really known for shootouts invite an early play on the total, which could drop quite a bit if we get surprising news.

Charlotte Hornets at Portland Trail Blazers

Hornets Under 110.5 Points (-115)

The Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers have shared the bottom of the league for years, but Portland is trying to exit that category of late.

They've locked into a tremendous brand of basketball in their last 15 games, sitting fourth in the NBA in DRTG (109.4) while operating at the league's seventh-slowest pace (98.2). This is barely a pace-up spot for Charlotte (97.1), who will typically employ one to hide their miserable D.

The injury report did break Charlotte's way; LaMelo Ball (ankle) is good to go out of the break. Buzz City still has just a 111.4 ORTG in games with Ball, which would 19th in the NBA if extrapolated to the whole season. It's just even worse (104.6) when he sits.

Portland has held six straight teams outside of playoff position below this mark; they've just run into the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Lakers of late. They could flex their defensive muscle against a team that traveled a long way to the Pacific Northwest.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.