We went just 1-2 in Thursday’s NBA tips for a bit of a disappointing day with some close finishes. We’ll be looking to improve on that mark as we take a look at some of the key games on the nine game NBA slate this Saturday, the 30th of December.
2017-18 NBA Preview & Betting Tips for Saturday, 30th of December
Houston Rockets at Washington Wizards (11am AEDT)
At the time of writing, Houston are yet to square off in their Friday game against the Celtics. It makes for a tough road back to back, and after losing their last three in a row prior to the Celtics game, they’ll be keen to pick up a couple of wins on this mini Eastern Conference road trip. The Wizards have won just five of their last 10 games but are still slinging to the 5th seed in the East as we near the halfway point of the season.
With John Wall recently coming back from injury, the Wizards have a completely clean bill of health. The same can’t be said about the Rockets. Star poing guard Chris Paul is now in his third stint on the sidelines, this time with a leg injury while Clint Capela and Luc Mbah a Moute will also be out for the clash against the Wizards.
Despite all the injuries throughout the season, the Rockets have proven they only two things to win on any given night, James Harden and bulk 3pt shooters. They still boast that, so scores of 120+ are never out of the question. No markets available for this match yet, due to the Rockets not having played the Celtics yet, however, we think the betting should be pretty even, in which case, we like the Wizards to hold firm against what should be a tired Houston team.
TIP: Washington to win – Price not yet available
Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (12.05pm AEDT)
After starting the season 4-20, the Bulls have now won eight of their last 10 games and currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Bulls on Thursday to move one game closer to a playoffs berth that everyone thought was impossible at the start of the season. Point guard Kris Dunn has been one of a few shining lights in the Bulls resurgence, but on any given night it could be one of four or five players that takes over for Chicago, which is what makes them so fun to watch.
They face the Pacers this Saturday, who have lost their last two games and five of their last 10 to slide to 6th in the Eastern Conference. Victor Oladipo continues to impress, averaging over 24 points per game, but his teammates have struggled to give him adequate support at times, particularly on the defensive end, as the Pacers have just the 19th best defensive rating in the league. Oladipo has been ruled out for the clash against the Bulls with a knee injury.
One thing that both of these teams do well is get buckets. The Pacers average 107 points per game, which is good for eighth in the league and while the Bulls early season woes bring their average down, they have scored over 100 points in nine of their last 11 games. Back the overs here.
TIP: Total points OVER 208.5 - $1.89 at CrownBet
Charlotte Hornets at Golden State Warriors (2.30pm AEDT)
The Warriors continue to assert their dominance over the league, even without Steph Curry in the lineup. They were way too good for a Gobert-less Utah team on Thursday, beating the Jazz by 25 points as Kevin Durant and Draymond Green led a great team effort. They’ll look to get their third win on the trot on Saturday as they host the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets have a clean bill of health presently, and with Kemba Walker firing on all cylinders, they are a massive threat on any given night. The all star point guard is averaging 25 points and 5 assists over his last three games and will be hoping he can take advantage of the absent Steph Curry in this one.
The Warriors have been good lately, but we’re not sure if they’ve been good enough to warrant starting as 10.5 point favourites here. Nic Batum has traditionally played Kevin Durant pretty well and we think Charlotte boast a good enough defence, especially now that they are fully fit, to keep this one close.
TIP: Charlotte Hornets +10.5 - $1.93 at CrownBet
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