NBA Tips, Friday Dec 20

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.

NBA Tips, Wednesday Dec 18

Milwaukee Bucks vs Oklahoma City Thunder
SGM: As Seen Below

OKC and the Bucks meet at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where they will compete for the 2nd ever NBA Cup.

The Thunder enter this game as $1.52 favourites, a justifiable price considering their strong start to the season, going 20-5 to lead all challengers in the West.

Meanwhile the Bucks ($2.55) have found their feet after a horrible start to the 2024/25 season, going 8-2 across their last 10 games, dragging themselves up to 6th in the East.

Milwaukee has won six of the last seven games against Oklahoma, covering the line in five of those fixtures.

OKC’s defence is 2nd to none in the league, allowing a league-low 103.5 points per game, but do they have a player to stop the league’s leading point scorer, Giannis Antetolounmpo (32.7PT)?

Alternatively, point of attack defence has been the Buck’s achilles heel this season, and a glaring hole that an elite scorer such as SGA is likely to exploit!

I’m having a crack at a SGM, backing carnage to ensue.

SGM:
Giannis 35+ Points
Giannis 10+ Rebounds
Giannis 1+ Block
Shai 30+ Points 
Lopez 1+ Block

NBA Tips, Tuesday Dec 17

BROOKLYN NETS VS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Cleveland to Cover $1.90

Brooklyn has activated their tanking protocols, after trading star guard Denis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors.

Regardless of that trade, they were Buckleys chance of getting past the Cavs in this one.

Cleveland are 22-4 on the season, 8-3 on the road, and have already bettered the Nets once this campaign.

Without Schroder lining up a PG, this Nets team will be isolation heavy on the offence, unless they hand Ben Simmons the keys.

I’m backing the Cavs to win big.

SACRAMENTO KINGS VS DENVER NUGGETS
Nikola Jokic 50+ PRA

Game of the day sees two Western Conference battlers in Denver and Sacramento face-off.

This is the first of four games this pair will play in the regular season, with the Kings bettering the Nuggs in three of the pair’s four matchups last season.

The Nuggets drop off this season directly correlates with reduced outputs from overpaid starters, Murray, Porter JR and Gordon, with Nikola Jokic having a career year, averaging 32-13-10!

Both sides carry some recent form into this fixture, Nuggs are looking for the third straight win, while the Kings are chasing their fourth.

I’m steering clear of the H2H market in this one, instead backing another mammoth performance from Jokic.

NBA Tips, Sunday Dec 15

Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks (+3.5) $1.90

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks meet in Las Vegas for the first semi final of the 2024 NBA Cup.

The Bucks saw off an injury plagued Magic side to claim their ticket to Vegas, with Giannis (37) and Dame (28) combining for 65 points.

Meanwhile, the Hawks took down the Knicks in front of a vocal TD Garden crowd, with Young, Johnson and Hunter all contributing on the offensive end, the it was the defensive effort that won Atlanta the game, with the Knicks held to just 100 points for just the third time this season.

Atlanta have already bettered the Bucks once this season, a 15-point win on the road at that.

I’m backing young and tenacity, over size and experience here.

Hawks to cover as underdogs.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets
Over 213.5 $1.90

OKC and the Rockets meet in the Western Conference semi, with both sides ready to take a leap to the next level in the NBA.

The Rockets progress to league challengers has came about far quicker than most pundits expected, with their youthful core playing elite level defence across their opening 25 games.

Only OKC’s defence has been stingier than the Rockets in the Western Conference, a formula which has left them sitting 1st and 2nd respectively.

Defence must be a the forefront of the bookies minds, with the current total points line set to 213.5, dangerously low when you take into account what these two sides are capable of doing on the offensive end, especially SGA and the Thunder.

This pair have met twice already this season, with the W’s split one a piece, more interestingly, both of those games finished with 233+ point totals, 20 clear of today’s line.

Either team could win this, I’m taking the overs.

NBA Tips, Saturday Dec 14

Denver Nuggets vs LA Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers (+6.5) $1.90

The Clippers head to Denver looking to go 3-0 against the Nuggets this season.

The last two games between this pair have been decided by five or less points, with the Clippers covering as underdogs.

LA have bettered Denver in four straight fixtures dating back to last season, and will feel confident in making it five in a row against the struggling 2023 Champs.

I’m backing the Clippers to cover the line as traveling underdogs.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES VS BROOKLYN NETS
Memphis Grizzlies (-10.5) $1.90

Brooklyn will also be looking to good 3-0 against the Grizzlies when they travel to Memphis.

Since their last loss to the Nets, the Grizzlies have gone 13-4 and look like one of, if not the form side in the comp.

The same cannot be said for Brooklyn, who have gone 6-10 across the same trip, and 1-4 over their last five starts.

13 of the Grizzlies 17  victories this season have been by blowout margins of 10+ points, as have half of Brooklyn’s 14 defeats.

I’m backing the Grizzlies to bounce back in a big way, wiping the flor with the Nets.

NBA Tips, Friday Dec 13

MIAMI HEAT VS TORONTO RAPTORS
Barrett & Hero to score 20+ Points $1.87

The Heat and the Raptors take to the court for the third time this season, tied at 1-1 after their first two games.

The Raptors are looking to end a three game losing streak, a feat which will prove the more difficult with the likes of Scottie Barnes, Quickley and Brown all out injured.

In the absence of Barnes, RJ Barrett has been required to stand up on the offensive end, averaging 24 points across his last 10 starts.

I’m backing Barrett to drop another 20+ points here, combined with 20+ from Miami’s leading scorer Tyler Hero.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS SACRAMENTO KINGS
Sacramento Kings (-5.5) $1.90

The Kings travel to New Orleans to play the first of their four regular season fixtures against the Pels.

The Kings are looking to win their third straight win, after two huge victories against the Spurs (+27 Points) and the Jazz (+44 points).

Alternatively, the Pels have won once in their last 12 games, and are 4-8 on their home court for the season.

NOLA will again be without both star players, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram who unsurprisingly are out through injury.

I’m backing the Kings to rule the court in New Orleans, covering the -5.5 point line.

NBA Tips, Thursday Dec 12

New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks (+7) $1.90

The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in what promises to be a fiery NBA Cup Quarterfinal encounter.

The Knicks and the Hawks have developed a spicy rivalry in recent years, largely built on the Knicks fans’ animosity towards pantomime villain, Trae Young.

The Hawks have won their last two games against the Knicks, as both home and away underdogs.

Atlanta have been giant killers this season, putting away the Celts, and the Cavs (twice!).

I’m backing the underdogs to make a real fist of it here, covering the line in front of a hostile crowd at the Garden.

Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors (+3) $1.90

The Rockets host the Warriors in the last NBA Cup Quarterfinal match-up.

The Dubs hold the wood over the Rockets, winning 15 straight games over their once Western Conference rivals.

When it comes to big games, there are not many players in the league that have more experience than Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

There is real spite and animosity between these two outfits, and I doubt either side will be taking a step back in this contest.

I’m backing the experience of the Dubs over, the youth and hunger of the Rockets.

Warriors to cover as underdogs.

NBA Tips, Wednesday Dec 11

Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic
Milwaukee Bucks (-7) $1.88

The Bucks play host to the Magic in the first NBA Cup Quarterfinal.

This is the first time these two sides meet in the regular season.

Orlando hasn’t enjoyed traveling to Milwaukee in recent times, with their last away win against the Bucks coming in September 2019!

Milwaukee has won 20 of the last 23 games against the Magic, although two of those three defeats came last season.

Orlando enters this knockout fixture without their two most productive played, with both Banchero and Wagner missing through injury.

The Magic have too much to overcome here, a full-strength Bucks side should get the job done comfortably on home court.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks (+4) $1.92

OKC host the Mavs in the 2nd Quarterfinal.

This pair have faced off once already this season, with Dallas narrowly winning in Oklahoma 121-119.

The makes it three straight wins and five in the last six for the Mavericks when playing OKC.

The Thunder hold the best record in the West and rightfully so head into this game as warm favourites.

Although, the Mavs are the form side in the competition, going 9-1 across their last 10 games.

Luka and Kyrie are both big game players, and I’m expecting them to take over in this knock-out fixture,

Dallas to cover as underdogs.

NBA Tips, Sunday Dec 8

SUNDAY NBA MULTI
Denver + OKC + New York to Win

Denver Def. Washington
As good as the Nuggets are, this leg is purely a bet against the Wizards, who have not come close to a W in 16 games. They are unarguably the worst team in the league.

Oklahoma City Def. New Orleans
Behind Washington, New Orleans are one the 2nd worst run in the league, losing 15 of their last 16 games, including an 18-points defeat at the hands of OKC. Another no contest.

New York Def. Detroit
This games should be slightly more competitive than the proceeding two, which isn’t saying much to be fair. The Knicks are 7-2 at home this season, while the Pistons are 5-8 on the road. This pair met a month ago, with New York runaway 30-point victors. Should win comfortably.

NBA Tips, Saturday Dec 7

ATLANTA HAWKS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Hawks to Win & Trae Young 8+ Assists

The Hawks look to capitalise on decent form when they welcomes a struggling Lakers outfit to State Farm Arena.

Atlanta recently put the league on notice, after securing back-to-back wins over competition leaders Cleveland.

I’m giving the Hawks the edge at home here, backing them to claim a win combined with 8+ assists from Trae Young.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Curry & Edwards to have 3+ 3PT FGs

All eyes will be on two players when the Warriors take on the Timberwolves on Saturday arvo (AEST).

All-time 3PT leader Curry shares the floor with the 2024/25 season 3PT leader Anthony Edwards.

Steph Curry is going about business as usual, averaging 4.2 3PM at 43.4%, while Ant-man has upped his productivity beyond the arc massively, with 4.5 3PM at an incredible 42.3%.

I’m backing both superstar guards to finish the game with 3+ 3PT FG’s a piece.