NBA Tips, Tuesday Dec 31

NBA Tips, Tuesday Dec 31

Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers (-3) $1.90

The Cavs look to sweep the Dubs 2-0 in their regular season series, after winning the pair’s opening fixture by 19 points in Cleveland.

Cleveland holds the best record in the league (27-4), and are on a six game winning streak, most recently seeing off the Nuggets on the road.

Alternatively, the Warriors’ season is on the ropes, going 3-7 across their last 10 games, only just hanging onto a play-in position.

The Cavs are a healthy 9-4 against the spread when playing on the road and I’m backing them to cover the -3 point handicap here.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Philadelphia 76ers
Philly to Cover & Maxey 25+ Points

Philly look to climb up the Eastern Conference standings with a victory against the plucky Trail Blazers.

The 76ers are 7-3 across their last 10 games and are starting to look like proper team with Embiid, Maxey and PG13 all fighting fit.

Alternatively, Portland are 3-7 across the same trip and are clearly in the middle of a rebuild.

Maxey has been a major contributor in the Sixers resurgence, and the flashy guard has scored 30+ points in each of his last three starts.

I’m taking the 76ers to cover on the road, combined with another big night from Maxey.

NBA Tips, Sunday Dec 29

SUNDAY NBA MULTI
OKC + Knicks + 76ers to Win

OKC def Charlotte
The Thunder boast the 2nd best record in the league at 24-5, and are an impressive 12-3 on the road.
Alternatively, the Hornets are 5-11 at home, and are staring down the barrel of seven straight defeats.

New York def Washington
The Knicks look to go 2-0 against the Wizards, after winning the pair’s first meeting by 28 points.
NYK are 10-6 on the road this season, and are looking to secure a 6th straight win.

Philly def Utah
The Jazz hold the worst home record in the league, winning just two of their 13 games in Utah.
The Sixers finally have all of their stars on the court and should make short work of their hosts here.

NBA Tips, Saturday Dec 28

Denver Nuggets vs Cleveland Cavaliers
SGM: Jokic 25+ Points & 15+ Rebounds

The Cavs and the Nuggets are set to meet for the 2nd and final time during the regular season, after Cleveland claimed the 1st game by 12 points at home.

The Nuggets are 8-4 at home this seasons, and are searching for their fourth straight win in Denver.

Meanwhile, the Cavs are 9-3 on the road, and have won their last five games H&A.

Jokic stuffed the stat sheet last time out against the Cavs, going 27-20-3, as his teammates let him down once again.

I’m backing the big Serb to get up for this one, scoring 25+ points and pulling in 15+ rebounds against the lengthy front court of Allen and Mobley.

Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers (-1) $1.87

The writing might be on the wall for the Dubs season, going 3-11 across their last 14 games, and falling to 10th in the Western Conference standings.

They’ll face a Clippers side who have already bettered them twice this season, both at home and on the road.

The Clippers are 10-6 at home this season, and have won three of their last four games, including victories against Dallas and Memphis.

The decline in the aging Warriors stars in undeniable at this stage, and I think their frailties will be put on display again here.

NBA Tips, Friday Dec 27

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES VS TORONTO RAPTORS
Memphis to Cover $1.90

The Grizzlies will be eyeing off a blow-out victory, when they welcome the rebuilding Raptors to FedExForum.

Memphis are an incredible 13-3 at home this season, as they look to challenge OKC at the top of the West.

Alternatively, Toronto are a disastrous 1-12 on the road, and have undoubtably pushed the franchise reset button.

I’m backing the Grizz to win and to win BIG!

MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS BROOKLYN NETS
SGM: Bucks to Cover & Giannis 30+ Points

Milwaukee have bounce back from their little post NBA Cup championship hangover, and will be looking to secure a straightforward victory over a tanking Nets outfit.

The Bucks are 11-4 at home this season, though one of those defeats came against the Nets back in October.

Both side’s fortunes have dramatically changed since that fixture, the Bucks are 14-4 including a win in Brooklyn, while the Nets are 2-7 across their last nine games.

Giannis will feel aggrieved that the Buck’s weren’t featuring in the Xmas day action, and could explode with a massive showing against the Nets.

I’m backing Milwaukee to cover combined with 30+ points from the Greek Freak.

NBA Tips, Thursday Dec 26

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS
SGM: LeBron 25+ Points & Curry 25+ Points

It’s NBA Christmas Day, and we are treated to five mouthwatering fixtures, none bigger than the matchup between LeBron’s Lakers & Curry’s Dubs.

Both the Lakers and the Dubs are both toiling away in a highly competitive West, with wins against conference rivals valued at a premium.

This will be the first of four games this pair will play in the regular season, with Golden State looking to go four straight against the Lakers.

Xmas is one of the biggest days of the season for the NBA, with every game nationally televised, the stage couldn’t be bigger!

Big players stand up on the big stage!

I’m avoiding the H2H markets here, instead backing both LeBron and Curry to go large.

PHOENIX SUNS VS DENVER NUGGETS
Durant 25+ Points & Jokic 30+ Points

The Christmas Day action wraps up in Phoenix, where the Suns play host to the Nuggets.

Neither outfit enters this fixture in particularly strong form, the Nuggs are 3-4 across their last seven games, while the Suns are 2-5 across the same trip.

I’m going to look towards the player markets again here, backing a shoot off between Durant and Jokic to transpire.

NBA Tips, Tuesday Dec 24

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS WASHINGTON WIZARDS
SGM: Thunder by 10+ & SGA 25+ Points

Oklahoma play host to the Washington Wizards, in what can only be described as a foregone conclusion.

The Wizards are 1-11 on the road this season, and are 2-20 since the start of November.

Meanwhile, the Thunder are 11-2 at home and hold the 2nd best record in the league.

OKC has won it’s last four games against the Wiz, covering the line in three of those fixtures, including as -16 point favourites last time out.

I’m backing the Thunder to win by 10+ points and for SGA to drop 25+ points.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS INDIANA PACERS
Pacers to Cover $1.90

The Dubs take on the Pacers for the first time this season, with both sides looking to crack into the top 6 of their respective conference.

The Warriors are 7-5 at home this season, and are 3-9 across their last 12 games.

Alternatively, the Pacers are 5-11 on the road, but are enjoying a purple patch of three straight away wins, including a convincing victory in Phoenix last time out.

Indiana have won four of their last five games against the Warriors, and their last five straight at the Chase Center!

I’m backing the Pacers to continue their strong record against the Dubs, covering as road dogs.

NBA Tips, Monday Dec 23

SACRAMENTO KINGS VS INDIANA PACERS
Over Total Points Line $1.90

The Kings take on the Pacers in a game between two underperforming sides.

The Kings are 6-8 at home, 13-14 on the season and sitting 12th in the West, though a win here will put them amongst the play-in conversations.

Similarly, the Pacers are 12-15 on the season, 4-11 on the road and are 8th in the weak Eastern Conference.

Both sides drop in performance is reflected in their record against the spread, with the pair going 10-16-1 ATS.

Nine of Sacramentos 14 home games have gone over the total points line, while the same can be said for eight of Indiana’s 15 road games.

I’m steering clear of the H2H market here, instead backing the Overs to hit.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS DENVER NUGGETS
Jokic 55+ PRA

The Pels look to claim their first back-to-back wins against the Nugs for the first time since 2019.

New Orleans bettered Denver in one of their rare wins this season (5-22), though the visitors were without 3x league MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Joker will be back in action for this game, providing what looks to be an unsolvable task for a small Pels outfit.

I believe Nikola will take this game by the scruff of the neck and fill up his stat sheet.

NBA Tips, Sunday Dec 22

SUNDAY NBA MULTI
Celtics + Bucks + Knicks + Suns to Win

Boston def Chicago
The Celts have already defeat the Bulls in Chicago this season, and will look to improve on their impressive 10-2 away record. Meanwhile the Bulls have been poor at the United Center this season, going 4-9.

Milwaukee def Washington
The Wizz are 1-10 on the road this season and won’t get close to beating a Bucks side who are hitting their straps atm.

New York def New Orleans
Things are looking dire for the Pels, who have lost four straight games and are on the foot of the Western Conference standings. Alternatively, the Knicks have climbed up to 3rd in the East and are 7-3 across their last 10 starts.

Phoenix def Detroit
Durant has returned from injury, and the Suns have bounced right back to winning ways. They are 9-4 at home this season and looking to push their way toward the top four in the West. Whereas, the Pistons are 6-9 on the road, and not really bothering contending franchises.

NBA Tips, Saturday Dec 21

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Cavs to Cover $1.90

The Bucks head to Cleveland following the high of winning the 2024 NBA Cup.

The Cavs currently hold the best record in the league (23-4), and are an incredible 14-1 on their home court.

Milwaukee quite literally just played their Grand final and might come into this game a little underdone.

I’m backing Cleveland to stamp their dominance here, putting away a hungover traveling Bucks side.

MIAMI HEAT VS OKLAHOMA CITY
SGM: OKC to Win & SGA to Score 30+ Points

OKC were also a part of the NBA Cup final in Vegas on Tuesday night, but instead of celebratory champagne, they were drinking their sorrows away.

MVP candidate, Sha Gillgeous-Alexander had a night to forget against the Bucks, hitting just 8-24 shots, and going 2-9 beyond the arc for his 21 points.

Unlike Milwaukee, I’m expecting OKC to be raring to get back on the court again, to set the record straight.

SGA has too much class to go missing in two straight games, and I’vee got him scoring 30+ points combined with a Thunder victory.

NBA Tips, Friday Dec 20

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES VS GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Memphis to Cover $1.90

Both the Grizzlies and the Dubs bounce into this game off the back of disappointing defeats.

The Warriors are looking to start their season afresh with the addition of Dennis Schoder to their starting line-up.

The German point guard has averaged 18-3-7 with the Nets this season, and will no doubt ease the playmaking burden on Steph Curry.

Meanwhile, Memphis’s run of four straight wins came to a end against the Lakers on Monday (AEST), losing out by 6 points.

The Grizzlies’ home form is too good to ignore here, they are 12-3 at the FedExForum and have covered the line in 11 of those fixtures.

I think it will take some time to bed Schroder into the Dubs lineup, as such I’m happy to take the home side to cover here.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS NEW YORK KNICKS
SGM: KAT 20+ Points & 12+ Rebounds, Ant 25+ Points

The Timberwolves and the Knicks are set to meet for the first time since their block-buster trade in the off-season.

New York look to have come out on top in said trade, with Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 25-14-3 across the opening 24 games, leading the league in rebounding.

I’m backing KAT to flex on his former side posting 20+ Points and 12+ Boards combined with 25+ Points from Anthony Edwards.