No love lost between the Heat and Pacers as the two teams that were engaged in a searing Eastern Conference Finals series last season meet for the first time since June. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant and the rest of the Thunder are aiming for their third-straight win. But are they up for a surprise in Atlanta?
[sc:BettingArticlesShortcoder ]Sports Betting Preview for December 10
NFL – Chicago Drubs Cowboys, Gets Share of AFC North First Place
- Josh McCown had his best game of his career as he threw four touchdowns to star in the Bears’ 45-28 crushing of the Cowboys. The win tied Chicago with Detroit atop the NFC North standings.
NBA – Bobcats Overcome Curry, Warriors
- The Bobcats could not stop Stephen Curry, who burned the hoops for 43 points, but they had their own answer in Kemba Walker. He scored 31 points to lead Charlotte to a 115-111 victory over the Warriors.
MLB – Halladay Announces Retirement
- Two-time Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay announced his retirement after signing a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Top Bet Games to Bet On
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (7:00 PM ET)
Miami is looking to distance itself further from the back-to-back losses (vs. Detroit, Chicago) it suffered last week, which came on the heels of a 10-game winning streak. The Heat bounced back with a pair of road wins against Detroit and Minnesota. [sc:NBA240banner ]
As usual, LeBron James led the team in both games, registering at least 21 points and eight assists in each. Despite having James, the Heat are doing damage to opponents as a team. They are fifth in the NBA in assists with 23.9 APG.
Miami plays its final game of a four-game road trip tonight against Indiana. The Heat are 7-1 SU and ATS in their last eight games away from American Airlines Arena.
Odds: Heat (+3) vs. Pacers (-3), O/U: 190.0
The Pacers are returning home after a brutal road trip against some of the Western Conference’s best teams, where they won three of five. Despite the pair of losses to Portland and Oklahoma City, the Pacers still owns the league’s best record of 18-3 SU.
Defense has always been the key to Indiana’s success this season. They are the best in shackling opponents’ offense, surrendering an average of 89.5 PPG. That’s around 10 points lower than the NBA’s average of 99.3 PPG.
The Pacers are 11-0 SU in their last 11 home games. Additionally, they are 4-1 ATS in their last five games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Atlanta Hawks (7:00 PM ET)
The Thunder passed a tough test in their last game when they thrashed defensive-minded Indiana with a 118-94 home victory. Judging from that game, it seems Kevin Durant is going to explode offensively at will.
Durant, the NBA’s top scorer (28.9 PPG), dropped 36 points on the Pacers, who are the league’s best defensive team. Durant is only half of the Thunder’s dynamic duo, which also boasts spitfire Russell Westbrook (21.3 PPG, 5.9 APG).
The Thunder are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games.
Odds: Thunder (-4.5) vs. Hawks (+4.5), O/U: 203.0
Aside from Miami and Indiana, only Atlanta owns a winning record in the weak Eastern Conference. They’ll fall back to .500 for the eighth time this season if they lose to Oklahoma tonight – something the Hawks hope to avoid.
The Hawks are averaging 99.6 PPG this season but they have experienced a surge in scoring recently. Their last three games include wins over the Clippers (107-97) and the Cavaliers (108-89). Their frontcourt, particularly Al Horford, has been the Hawks’ source of might, with Horford leading the team in points, rebounds and blocks (17.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 1.7 BPG).
The Hawks are 3-0 SU and ATS in their last three home games.
For the most comprehensive list of NFL, NCAAF, MLB, and NHL game odds and betting lines, visit Top Bet Sportsbook.
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