The 2015-16 NBA season continues and it offers up a treat of games to help end the 2015-year in style. The highlight of the 31st of December’s NBA matches will be the defending champions the Golden State Warriors travelling to the Dallas Mavericks. Continue reading for all our NBA Preview and Betting Tips.
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Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (Thursday 12.30pm AEDT)
It has been business as usual for the Warriors since losing their first match of the season against the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of their seven game road trip of the East. Stephen Curry has continued his MVP form whilst the rest of the side has lifted its load with Harrison Barnes being on the sidelines for longer than first expected. The Warriors remain first on offence with an impressive 114.8ppg on average with only Oklahoma able to come close to matching them in that department.
Meanwhile the Mavericks have been coasting along and have picked up enough victories to sit in 5th position in the Western Conference and they have won their past 3 matches in a row. However, with Deron Williams on the sidelines the side will struggle to keep a player in front of the current MVP and with the Warriors being on another level to the majority of sides they will win and put a score on the home team to cover the line.
TIP: Warriors -8.5 @ $1.95 with William Hill
Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics (Thursday 11.30am AEDT)
These old foes will go at it again with a lot having changed since the days they would meet in the finals on a yearly basis. The Lakers have just five wins this season whilst their main storyline will be following Kobe Bryant on his farewell tour. The side has improved as Bryant has taken a backwards step and stopping taking close to 30 shots a night but they are still a long way behind the rest of the teams in the league.
The Celtics are a true play off contender as they sit in 8th position but in the middle of a massive logjam in the Easter Conference. They are on a four game winning streak and will be looking to make easy work of the Lakers. They have a great home court record and they score a lot more points whilst holding teams to lower scores at their own venue. This will contribute greatly to a massive win as they clear the line.
TIP: Celtics -12.5 @ $1.95 with William Hill
Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (Thursday 12pm AEDT)
The Chicago Bulls have hit a bit of turmoil within their squad with players questioning each other’s commitments whilst Jimmy Butler has also called out the coach for not being hard enough on their players. Despite this, they were able to pick up a solid win against the Raptors on their home court and they will be looking to back that effort up with a win against the Pacers. Their offence has slowly been improving and they need to continue finishing games strong, as their fourth quarter play was horrible prior to this last week.
Meanwhile the Pacers have been going about their business quietly and are sitting in third position in the Eastern Conference but are only one game ahead of the Bulls. They are averaging more points a game whilst have a better defence then their opposition on Thursday whilst they are a lot more threatening from behind the three point line and with this in mind we will be backing them to upset the favourites.
TIP: Pacers @ $2.22 with Crownbet
Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors (Thursday 11.30am AEDT)
The Raptors suffered a loss on the road to the Bulls in a disappointing match where they never looked like winning. However, they return home where they have a 9-5 record this season and they have a fully fit squad for the first time in weeks. The addition of DeMarre Carrol and Jonas Valanciunas is a massive boost for the team, as it will improve their performances on both ends of the court.
The Wizards have been one of the more disappointing teams this season as they haven’t lived up to the expectations they have earned over their past two seasons. The side is hindered with injuries that have contributed to their poor outings as they have had to change their rotations whilst John Wall doesn’t have his normal running partner Bradley Beal. Gary Neal and Drew Gooden are also on the injured list for the Wizards, which will contribute to their loss on the road at Toronto.
TIP: Raptors -6 @ $1.92 with Palmerbet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
