Best Bets for Today - Top Plays Across College Basketball, NHL and NBA for Thursday December 4 2025

By: Kim Smith Published 12/04/2025, 04:25 AM ET

Thursday night brings us a strong mix of NHL, college hoops, and NBA action, giving us several matchups with clear statistical edges and momentum spots. After going through the numbers, these are the three strongest plays for Thursday 12/4/25. To catch even more of our best bets make sure you check out our best bets page.

My Best Bets

Blues vs Bruins - ML Boston Bruins +120
Utah State vs South Florida - Utah State Aggies -1.5 (-108)
Utah Jazz vs Brooklyn Nets - Utah Jazz -4.5 (-105)

Blues vs Bruins

It’s rare you see a sub-.500 team favored on the road against a team with a winning record, and that alone tells you something about how this matchup is being priced. St. Louis comes in struggling with a 9–11–7 record and owning one of the least effective offenses in the league at just 2.56 goals per game. Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer have both been shaky, each with save percentages under .883. Boston, meanwhile, has been uneven but still sits at 15–13 and plays its best hockey at home with a 9–5 record at TD Garden. Jeremy Swayman has been the steadier goaltender in this matchup, and the Bruins’ power play (24.7%) is far more dangerous than the Blues’. With Boston healthier, deeper, and at home, I’m grabbing the value and backing Boston +120. Check out the full Blues vs Bruins pick.

Utah State vs South Florida

This game sets up as a classic “strength vs pace” matchup, and I’m siding with the undefeated Aggies. Utah State enters at 7–0, scoring nearly 89 points per game while allowing just 67. They share the ball extremely well and rebound at a higher level than South Florida. The Bulls can certainly score — they average over 91 per game — but their defense has been suspect, giving up 82.5 points, and they’ve struggled when stepping up in class. Utah State has shown they can control tempo, get high-quality shots, and clamp down late. In a game where the more disciplined and complete team usually prevails, I’m backing Utah State -1.5 to stay perfect. Check out the full Utah State vs USF pick.

Jazz vs Nets

Utah and Brooklyn have similar records, but they are trending in completely different directions. The Jazz are coming off a 133–125 win and have shown improved scoring balance, especially with Lauri Markkanen averaging 28 points per game. Brooklyn, on the other hand, has been undermanned for weeks, missing Cam Thomas, Haywood Highsmith, and others, and the defense has paid the price. The Nets are giving up nearly 118 points per night and remain one of the least efficient rebounding teams in the league. Utah also holds advantages in scoring, assists, and overall offensive efficiency. With the Jazz starting to find their footing and the Nets still shorthanded and inconsistent at home, I’m taking Utah -4.5 on the road. Check out the full Jazz vs Nets pick.

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