After a fairly slow weekend due to the Thanksgiving celebrations, the NBA is back in full swing this Tuesday, the 28th of November with an 8-game slate. We take a look at some of the key games of the day and give our betting tips below.
2017-18 NBA Preview & Betting Tips for Tuesday, 27th November
Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers (11am AEDT)
For all the talk of a slow start to the season by the Cavaliers, they still have a 12-7 record through their first 19 games and sit just third in the Eastern Conference standings. Philadelphia on the other hand, have had a red-hot start to the season, by their standards, and sit 5th in the East with a 11-7 record.
Superstar rookie Ben Simmons is expected to return from an elbow injury for the clash, putting the 76ers at full strength for the clash. The Cavs on the other hand will still be without Tristan Thompson, Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose, leaving the bulk of the workload to fall upon LeBron James’ shoulders.
The Cavaliers, on the back of James, have won seven straight to regain some respect in the East and start as $1.66 favourites for this matchup. They seem to be a different team to the one that suited up for the first few weeks of the season, and on two full days rest after their win over the Hornets back on Saturday, we like them to go into Wells Fargo Centre and capture a win here.
TIP: Cleveland -3 - $1.95 at Sportsbet
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (11.30am AEDT)
It’s first plays second in the East here as the Boston Celtics host the Detroit Pistons at TD Garden from 11.30am. The Celtics will be looking to improve on their league best 18-3 record with another win here which will put them seven games up on the Pistons in second place.
The play of all-star point guard Kyrie Irving has been ridiculously efficient so far this season as the new Celtic is an early candidate for MVP honours. He’ll have to go against arguably the best on-ball defender in the league on Tuesday though in former Celtic Avery Bradley. The Pistons and Celtics agreed to a deal to send Bradley to Detroit in exchange for Marcus Morris in what has so far been a decent trade for both sides.
The Celtics were without Morris and Jaylen Brown for their last clash against Indiana on Saturday but both players should return for the home game against the Pistons, bolstering the Celtics depth and making them worthy favourites here. The Celtics are 17-3-1 agaisnt the spread this season and 7-0-1 against the spread at home, they have been near perfect this season and boast the number one defence in the league, but 6.5 points could be a little high in what should be a defensive battle.
TIP: Detroit Pistons +6.5 - $1.95 at William Hill
Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers (2.30pm AEDT)
Could this finally be the changing of the guard in LA? The 8-11 Lakers face off against the 7-11 Clippers here, one team significantly on the rise and the other in significant decline. The Clippers still hold sway with the bookies, starting at $1.50 favourites, however, their injury list is as long as my arm at the moment with Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverly and Milos Teodosic all missing from the starting line-up.
The Clippers have won 15 of the last 16 games between the two teams, dominating basketball in LA since the start of the Blake Griffin era, however, with so many injuries and no point guard to speak of at the moment, they have been really struggling to score the ball when Blake inevitably gets double teamed.
The Lakers will be at near full strength for this clash and have plenty of wing scoring options, which the Clippers have really struggled to defend at times this year. It would be a significant swing in power in LA if the Lakers were to win this one and we think they are ready to take the next step with a talented young team.
TIP: Lakers to win - $2.63 at Ladbrokes
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