The struggling, Kobe-less Lakers travel to Miami to meet the potentially Wade-less Heat. In Portland, the Blazers and Nuggets prepare to put up big points.
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Sports Betting Preview for January 23
Top Stories in Sports Today
NBA – Durant’s 36 Drops Spurs
Kevin Durant extended his 30+ point scoring streak to nine games as the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame the San Antonio Spurs 111-105. The Thunder are now 5-0 SU/ATS in their last five games and are now top of the Western Conference.
NBA – Suns snap Pacers’ Streak
The Phoenix Suns upset the NBA-leading Indiana Pacers 124-100, to snap the Pacers’ five-game winning streak.
MLB – Yankees Sign Tanaka
The New York Yankees have secured the services of highly coveted Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka with a seven-year, $155 million deal.
Top Bet Games to Bet On
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat (8:00 PM ET)
The Los Angeles Lakers seemed to have turned the corner from their horrendous 1-12 SU run by winning back to back games at Boston and at Toronto. However, an overtime loss to the Bulls has once again set them back. Despite this loss, the Lakers have kept games close over the past week or so, which has earned them a perfect 5-0 ATS mark in their last 5 games.[sc:NBA240banner ]
They continue their ongoing road trip in Miami, where the Heat are 5-0 SU/ATS in their last 5 home games vs Lakers. However, the defending champs could still be without star guard Dwyane Wade, who has missed the last three games due to his ailing knees. In his absence, LeBron James has stepped up his scoring; the MVP is averaging over 28 PPG this month.
Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trailblazers (10:30 PM ET)
Two consecutive defeats have brought the Denver Nuggets back down to .500. Even without Danilo Gallinari – who will now be out for the rest of the season – the Nuggets have no problem scoring; it’s their defense that needs work. Denver has allowed 117 points/game in their last 4 games. The over is 4-1 in last 5 road games vs. Blazers.
Defense is similarly the problem for the Portland Trailblazers, who have lost two straight games. The Blazers have circumvented that problem by simply scoring more, and no one scores more than LaMarcus Aldridge (24.2 PPG). Aldridge has scored over 20 points and grabbed over 12 rebounds in his last 6 games, a trend which should continue against the Nuggets’ undersized frontcourt. Portland is 7-2 SU in last 9 home games.
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