A day after losing their Christmas Day game to the Rockets, the Spurs face next another Southwest Division rival in the Mavericks, while the Clippers aim to vent their frustration against the Trail Blazers after losing a testy affair against the Warriors last night.
[sc:BettingArticlesShortcoder ]Sports Betting Preview for December 26
NBA –Bulls Rattle Nets
- The Bulls nailed their second win in as many games after thumping the struggling Nets on the road, 95-78.
NBA –Warriors Top Clippers
- It was Christmas Day, but the Warriors and Clippers were in no mood to exchange pleasantries, and rather engaged in a fight-marred contest. In the end, Golden State got the last laugh with a 105-103 victory.
NBA – Heat Best Lakers
- Miami won its sixth-straight game after edging the Lakers, 101-95. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh paced all scorers with 23 points apiece.
Top Bet Games to Bet On
San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks (8:30 PM ET)
Christmas Day wasn’t too merry for the Spurs who lost to the Rockets last night, 111-98. The loss was San Antonio’s second in three games, but the Spurs can find solace in the performance of a couple of their veterans. [sc:NBA240banner ]
Tim Duncan stuffed the stats sheet against Houston, finishing with 11 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 blocks while Manu Ginobili came off the bench to contribute 22 points on 8-17 shooting.
Tony Parker appeared to be out of sync last night, coming up with only six points, but expect him to bounce back as he hasn’t had back-to-back single-digit performances this season. The Spurs are 6-1 SU and ATS in their last seven road games.
Odds: Spurs (TBA) vs. Mavericks (TBA), O/U: TBA
Unlike San Antonio, the Mavericks got to celebrate Christmas resting. They’ll try to shake off their holiday jitters when they return to the court against division rivals, the Spurs.
Dallas hasn’t won against the Spurs in their last five meetings and they could prevent losing their sixth in a row if they can take advantage of the Spurs’ tired legs. Dirk Nowitzki remains the Mavs’ scoring leader, churning out 21.5 PPG while offseason pick-up Monta Ellis ably supports him offensively with 20.6 PPG.
Four more Mavericks average in double figures, which partly explains Dallas’ 5-0 OVER record in its last five games overall.
NBA
LA Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers (10:30 PM ET)
The Clippers saw their winning streak snapped on Christmas Day when they lost a close 105-103 game to Golden State, but managed to cover the spread as 3-point road underdogs. In that game, Blake Griffin was ejected early in the fourth quarter as a result of a scuffle with Warriors big man Andrew Bogut, but will return to action tonight, bringing his team-best 20.9 PPG.
Meanwhile, Chris Paul produced another double-double last night with 26 points and 11 assists. He’ll need those numbers again as he will be up against Portland spitfire, Damian Lillard. The Clippers are 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six games.
Odds: Clippers (TBA) vs. Trail Blazers (TBA), O/U: TBA
It will be an uphill battle for the Trail Blazers in their last four games of the year, starting with tonight’s match-up against the visiting Clippers. After the Clippers, they’ll have Miami and New Orleans, before closing the year against the Thunder.
A win tonight would surely set the tone for the Blazers, who own the Western Conference’s best record of 23-5 SU. The Blazers are torching opponents offensively with their NBA-best 108.4 PPG. LaMarcus Aldridge anchors a formidable frontcourt that hauls down 45.9 RPG, no.4 in the NBA overall. Damian Lillard continues to provide exceptional guard duties by averaging 21.5 PPG and 5.8 APG.
The Blazers are tough beat at home. They are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games at Moda Center.
For the most comprehensive list of NFL, NCAAF, MLB, and NHL game odds and betting lines, visit Top Bet Sportsbook.
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