New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls: New York Knicks to Win
Reason for tip:
Before losing to the Raptors, the Knicks had been playing their best basketball of the season. Chicago has a record of 6-11 away from the United Center this season. New York’s top-10 defense shone brilliantly in its two victories against the Bulls in Chicago.
Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks: Dallas Mavericks to Win
Reason for tip:
The Houston Rockets are on a 4-game losing streak. The Mavericks have lost two of their three games, but Luka Doncic was injured in both of them. Doncic did not play in the loss earlier in the season against the Rockets, and he is the difference-maker for this Mavericks team. They should pull away easily in this spot.
Orlando Magic vs San Antonio Spurs: Orlando Magic to Win
Reason for tip:
The San Antonio Spurs lost 126-117 to the New Orleans Pelicans last night. They are 1-4 this season on the second night of back-to-backs. The Orlando Magic have won 7 of their last 10 games and are 7th in the NBA in net offensive and defensive ratings. Last night, Jeremy Sochan led the Spurs offense with 23 points. However, given that it was the first NBA game in which he scored more than 13, it would be difficult to predict that the rookie will replicate that performance tonight. As a result, I’ll bet on the Magic to win convincingly at home.
Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers: Denver Nuggets to Win
Reason for tip:
Damian Lillard will be out with a sprained wrist, while Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Justise Winslow, and Drew Eubanks are all listed as doubtful. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets have won three of the last four meetings between the teams. Over the last 10 games, the Trail Blazers have allowed the 2nd-most points in the paint, while the Nuggets are 2nd in scoring in that category. They will now face the tough task of playing on the road against the Denver Nuggets in their second game in as many nights.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets: Over 235.5
Reason for tip:
The Lakers rank second in the NBA in terms of pace, averaging 104.5 possessions per game. Charlotte is 12-5 on the O/U in 17 road games this season. No AD has left the paint exposed for the Lakers, as they have scored 130 points in their last two games. Both the Lakers and Hornets play at a high tempo, with the Lakers ranking 2nd in the NBA and averaging 104.5 possessions per game, while the Hornets are at 101.1 per game.
Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies: Memphis Grizzlies to Win
Reason for tip:
Desmond Bane has been upgraded to questionable for the first time since injuring his toe in the first half of November. Ja Morant scored 35 points and dished out 10 assists, but the rest of the team contributed very little as Memphis fell on the road, 105-91. Memphis heads into Phoenix as a 2-point favorite, something you don’t see often. In their last nine games, the Suns are just 3-6 SU/ATS and have fallen to 4th place in the West standings. The Grizzlies have owned the head-to-head meeting with a 6-3 SU/ATS record over the last 9 games, and at Footprint Center, they are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 visits. Devin Booker, Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder are all out for the Suns, which is one of the reasons why they are underdogs at home for the first time in a while.
