Fantastic nine-game slate in the NBA this Saturday, the 14th of December headlined by a big clash between the Lakers and Heat from 11am followed by the Timberwolves hosting the Clippers from 1.30pm! As usual, we have a full preview and betting tips for the key games of the day below.
NBA Betting Tips Saturday 14th December
Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat (11am AEDT)
The Lakers have a league best 22-3 record and sit 3.5 games clear in the Western Conference, however, they have had one of the easiest schedules in the league so far. They'll get a tough test on Saturday as they face the Heat on the road. Saturday will mark just the fifth time in 26 games where the Lakers have been favoured by three points or less.
The Heat have an 18-6 record and sit in second place in the Eastern Conference. They have won their last three games on the trot and have been on a scoring frenzy at home in that period. They have put up 119 points per game in their last three and were lead by two relative unknowns in Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn in their win over Atlanta on Wednesday. The pair combined for 70 points in the win.
The Lakers start as 3 point favourites on the road, which seems about right given their start to the season and a few injuries that Miami are dealing with. They'll be without Goran Dragic and Justice Winslow for the clash, but we still like the Heat to cover here. The Heat have the best record against the spread at home in the league at 9-2 and are 11-0 straight up at American Airlines Arena.
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (12pm AEDT)
Not the prettiest matchup on paper here but one that we think provides real value as the Bulls host the Hornets in Chicago. The Bulls put up 136 points on the Atlanta Hawks in a big win on Thursday and seemed to turn somewhat of a corner offensively. Zach LaVine dropped 35 points in the win while Lauri Markkanen added 22.
The Hornets have won their last two on the spin and put up 113.5 points per game in the pair. Thursday saw them capture a good away win over the Nets as breakout star DeVonte Graham dropped 40 points. The Hornets have one of the highest cover rates in the NBA in terms of over-under at 14-13 in favour of the over.
The line for this game currently sits at just 214 points, which we think is way to low here for two teams that have been scoring the ball well lately and have shown minimal interest in playing defence this season. Back the over here.
Los Angeles Clippers at Minnesota Timberwolves (1.30pm AEDT)
The Clippers have won their last three games in a row and currently sit in second place in the Western Conference with a 19-7 record. They have battled through the games where star guard/forward Kawhi Leonard has been out with injury but have looked unstoppable with him in the line-up. He is expected to play against the Timberwolves, as it is the first night of a back to back and the more important of the two games.
The Wolves have lost their last six games in a row, sliding to 10th in the Western Conference and desperately need a win to stay in touch with the top eight. Point guard Jeff Teague is their only noteable injury at the moment, so excuses for this form slump are minimal. Defence has been a major problem, as they have allowed a ridiculous 130.8 points per game over their last five.
The Clippers start as five point favourites on the road but its the over that we like here. With the Timberwolves destined to allow at least 120 here, you'd think the total point line of just 230 seems a bit low. Back the over.
