We went .500 in last week’s NBA betting tips to keep our head above water. We’ll be looking to improve on that mark this week as we bring you another couple of NBA betting slates after a much needed Christmas break. Thursday, the 28th of December offers a great 10 game slate and we take a look at some of the key matchups of the day below.
2017-18 NBA Preview & Betting Tips for Thrusday, 28th of December
Boston Celtics at Charlotte Hornets (11am AEDT)
After an absolutely blistering start to the NBA season, the Celtics have dropped away recently and have just a 5-5 record through their last 10 games. Amazingly, the Celtics have already played 37 games this season, which is six more than the Toronto Raptors, who are the only team above them in the Eastern Conference standings.
The heavy schedule for the Celtics might have taken a toll on them over the last few weeks, but they should come into this clash fairly fresh after a day’s rest over the Christmas period. They did, however, play a hard fought game against the Wizards on Boxing Day while the Hornets had the extended break and will be home for this matchup.
Both Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris will miss for the Celtics, while the Hornets boast a near full strength line-up. Really tough match to pick here as the Celtics have opened as just 1 point favourites. We think the ‘any other result’ in the wire to wire market here will be the best bet in what should be a tight contest.
TIP: Wire to wire ‘any other result’ - $1.67 at Sportsbet
Toronto Raptors at Oklahoma City Thunder (12pm AEDT)
The Raptors have been on an absolute tear of late, going 8-2 through their last ten games and now lead the Eastern Conference standings. They’ll travel to OKC Thursday to take on a tough Thunder team that is coming off a fantastic Christmas Day win against the Houston Rockets.
The Thunder are also in some cracking form, winning their last five games and eight of their last ten. Some harmony seems to finally be seeping its way into the star studded line-up of Russel Westbrook, Paul George and Carmleo Anthony and a top four Western Conference berth seems to be within striking distance at 19-15 on the season.
OKC start as $1.64 favourites for the clash based on the fact they are at home. They have had one of the best defences in the league so far this season with a 101.5 defensive rating. The Raptors are right up there in defensive rating and points allowed per game as well, making us believe that this could be a tight, low scoring game.
TIP: Total points UNDER 211 - $1.91 at Ladbrokes
Utah Jazz at Golden State Warriors (2.30pm AEDT)
Even without the services of all star point guard Steph Curry and forward Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors have been going about their business as per usual, winning nine of their last ten games and currently hold the best record in the NBA. Kevin Durant has been playing out of his skin, particularly on the defensive end in the absence of Green, averaging a whopping 2.3 blocks per game to go along with 26 points and 7 rebounds.
Green returned to the lineup a few games ago and while Curry is still out, the Jazz have some injury concerns of their own, with Rudy Gobert still missing through a sprained PCL. Rookie Donovan Mitchell has been the lone spark in the Jazz offence, exploding after a slow start to the season and now averages 18 points per game.
If there’s one team that has been able to curtail the explosive offence of Golden State during their dominant periods it has been the Jazz. In the last 19 clashes between the two squads, the Warriors have scored over 110 on just 5 occasions, but a lot of that credit can go to perennial DPOY candidate Gobert. Without him here, it should be hard to stop Durant and co. Back the Warriors to win this one easily.
TIP: Golden State -12 - $1.95 at Sportsbet
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