There’s another 6-game slate of NBA action on this Tuesday with plenty of exciting games taking place. We’ll look at the value on offer in some of the key games, so join us here where we preview our NBA betting tips for Tuesday, 12th December!
2017-18 NBA Preview & Betting Tips for Tuesday, 12th December
New Orleans Pelicans At Houston Rockets (12:00pm AEDT)
The Pelicans will be playing their second game of a back-to-back when they face the Rockets on Tuesday. They are coming off a 131-124 home win over the 76ers where Rajon Rondo was at his creative best, notching a season-high 18 assists to go along with 13 points and 5 steals. Another positive was the successful return from injury for Anthony Davis, who finished with 29 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks.
Meanwhile, the Rockets are returning home after a 3-game road trip where they went undefeated, claiming victories against the Lakers, Jazz and Trail Blazers. Since the return of Chris Paul, they have gone on a 9-game winning streak and are 10-0 overall with him in the team. He is averaging 14.3 points and 9.8 assists a game and seems like the perfect sidekick for James Harden, who has been in MVP form with season averages of 32.1 points and 9.3 assists per contest.
Both teams love to push the ball and get their shots up quickly so it will be a high-scoring affair. However, we feel that the Pelicans will struggle to keep up with the Rockets firepower on the second game of a back-to-back, so we’ll be taking the Rockets at the line here.
TIP: Houston Rockets at the line (-11.5) - $1.91 at Ladbrokes
Boston Celtics At Chicago Bulls (12:00pm AEDT)
The Celtics continue to grind out wins and are 22-5 for the season. Their most recent game ended in an impressive 91-81 road win over the Pistons. They will finish their 3-game road trip on Tuesday when the face the Bulls at the United Center. The Celtics are currently the best team in the league at covering the spread, where they are 20-7-1 overall and 11-3-0 in away games.
The Bulls are coming into this game with the worst record in the league (5-20), although they are currently on a 2-game winning streak. They have been a lot more competitive since Kris Dunn has returned from injury. He has averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 10.5 assists across their last two victories, whilst shooting a decent clip.
Although the Bulls have been competitive lately, they haven’t played anyone of the Celtics calibre. Brad Steven’s Celtics are a well-oiled machine who make it extremely difficult for the opposition to score and we expect them to give the Bulls the business in this one.
TIP: Boston Celtics at the line (-7.5) - $1.90 at CrownBet
Toronto Raptors At Los Angeles Clippers (2:30pm AEDT).
The Raptors have completely gone under the radar this season whilst putting together an impressive 17-7 record. They are currently on a 6-game winning streak and have won their last three road games by an average margin of 19 points! Dwane Casey’s men are 7-6 on the road for the season, however, they are 9-5-0 at covering the spread in away games, which is the third best in the league.
One of the most disappointing teams so far this season is the Los Angeles Clippers. Although there weren’t huge expectations surrounding Doc Rivers’ squad, they have managed just 9 wins from 24 outings so far. Adding salt to the wounds is the Blake Griffin knee injury, which makes the Clippers season an instant throwaway. They are a disappointing 5-7 in front of their home fans and are also 5-7-0 at covering the spread at home.
The Raptors roster is clearly superior to that of the Clippers and we expect them to put this one to bed early. The line is set at -5.5 and we see them covering this one with a few points to spare.
TIP: Toronto Raptors at the line (-5.5) - $1.95 at Sportsbet
