Category: NBA

LeBron will play tonight. Merry Christmas, Laker fans.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES LAKERS M/L

Two teams that have won 5 in a row, the LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks, will meet tonight in Dallas and that will be the difference maker. The star studded Clippers are just 1-4 on the road, where they are averaging 115.8 points per game, allowing 119.2, and are winless in their last 4 trips to the Big D. The Mavs’ Luka Dončić  has been tearing it up. This guy has scored 30+ points 9 times this season, has 7 triple doubles and in his last outing on Sunday against the Rockets he ripped off 41. The Mavericks are tough at American Airlines Center, where they are 6-3, averaging 117.6 points per game, allowing 106.6 and they will be getting 2 points.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DALLAS MAVERICKS +2

Both the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns are a surprising 5-2 to start the season and they will meet tonight when the Suns host the Heat at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Phoenix has been on a roll, winning 3 straight, and at home they are 3-1, where they are averaging 115.8 points per game and allowing an average of 105.5. Miami is 2-2 on the road, where they are averaging 108.8 points per game and allowing an average of 112.0. The Suns have covered every game thus far, at 7-0 ATS, and will face a Heat team that did not look good in their last outing, getting blown out by Denver 109-89. Phoenix is currently laying 1 and should cover the number but with a money line of only -115, why risk a push?
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHOENIX SUNS M/L

The Toronto Raptors will be spotted 5 points tonight when they visit Chesapeake Energy Arena for a match-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Raptors are catching a Thunder team that has lost 3 straight and have not been covering the number. OKC is just 3-12 ATS in their last 15 overall and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 at home. Toronto is an impressive 21-14 on the road, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 in Oklahoma City, and the road team has covered 6 of the last 7 meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO RAPTORS +5

The Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards are both vying for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will meet tonight on the Wizards’ home court, Capital One Arena. The Hornets have been in a tailspin, losers of 2 straight and 12 of their last 16. Charlotte’s road record is nothing to write home about, at 9-23, where they are averaging 108.9 points per game and allowing an average of 115.4. The Wizards have won 2 straight and have been tough at home. They are 20-12 at Capital One where they are averaging 118.1 points per game and allowing an average of 114.2. The home team has won the last 4 meetings and these games are usually close so consider the Wizards on the money line.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON WIZARDS M/L

The Portland Trail Blazers will return home tonight for a match-up with the struggling Oklahoma City Thunder after a successful road trip where they went 6-2. The Trail Blazers have lost all 3 meetings with the Thunder this year but will be catching a team that has lost 5 of its last 6. Portland gets it done at Moda Center, where they are 24-8, averaging 116.7 points per game, and allowing an average of 107.9. Paul George, who was out with a shoulder injury, did return to the lineup for OK City in Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota but it was obvious he is not at 100%. The Trail Blazers are due for a win over the Thunder.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS M/L

When the San Antonio Spurs hit the road, they are just 11-22 but when they take the court at AT&T Center they dominate, with a record of 24-7, and that’s where they will be tonight when they take on the Denver Nuggets. The Spurs are laying 1 in this one and are riding a 2-game home winning streak. San Antonio is averaging 113.6 points per game at AT&T and allowing an average of 106.4. Denver has been mediocre on the road, with a record of 15-14, where they are averaging 107.9 points per game and allowing an average of 109.7. The Nugs are 2-7 ATS in the last 9 meetings with the Spurs and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 trips to San Antonio. The numbers indicate a Spurs cover, but with a money line of only -120, why sweat it?
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN ANTONIO SPURS M/L