It’s a fantastic seven game slate in the NBA this Wednesday, the 25th of January. Our regular NBA tipster is out today and in his place in the one and only Johnny Houston! Check out his NBA betting tips for the key matchups on the Wednesday NBA slate below.
NBA Betting Tips - Wednesday January 25th 2023
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat
Wednesday 11.30am (AEDT)
One of the games of the day sees the Celtics rounding out their three game road trip with a game in Miami against the Heat. The Celtics are coming off a disappointing loss to the Magic in Orlando on Tuesday, where they started as 7.5 point favouriets but ended up losing the game by 15 points. They are still one of the best teams in the league against the spread at 25-22-1, but have struggled in that category on the road at just 12-15-1.
On a positive note for the Celtics though, the Heat have been the worst home team in the league throughout the season so far. They are a dismal 7-15-1 against the spread at home, but will at least have a full complement of players to call upon on Wednesday night, as they currently have no players on the injury list.
The Celtics start as slight underdogs here and I like them with the extra value. They will be desperate to bounce back here and end their road trip with a win and they have had a dominant record over the Heat in recent meetings, winning three of their last four.
Denver Nuggets at New Orleans Pelicans
Wednesday 12.10pm (AEDT)
Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will battle at midday as the Pelicans host the Denver Nuggets. All eyes will be on superstar Nugget Nikola Jokic, who is currently listed as questionable for the clash after missing his team's last two games against the Pacers and Thunder. The Nuggets have managed to win nine of their last 10 games despite some injury concerns to Jokic and currently sit atop the West with a 33-14 record.
The Pelicans started the season like a house on fire but have dropped away over the last few weeks. They have won just three of their last 10 games and lost their last four in a row to drop to fourth in the West with a 26-21 record. They have been an outstanding team at home though, currently maintaining a 17-6 record straight up and a 13-10 record against the spread at the Smoothie King Center.
The odds start as pretty even here and it’s tough to predict a winner without knowing for sure the status of Jokic. The Nuggets could also be without key roleplayers in Bones Hyland and Michael Porter Jr, while the Pelicans are currently missing Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, two of their top three scorers. Because of all of those unknowns, I love the value of the ‘any other market’ selection in the wire to wire market. I think this one could be back and fourth with bench players going on runs.
Any Other Result - W2W
$1.75
LA Clippers at LA Lakers
Wednesday 2.00pm (AEDT)
The Clippers have won their last two games on the trot and will be looking to add a third when they face off against cross town rivals in the Lakers from 2.00pm. In an absolutely loaded Western Conference, the Clippers and Lakers are in 6th and 12th place respectively but are separated by just two games, giving this matchup real significance in the playoff race.
The Lakers have also won their last two on the trot in high scoring games against the Grizzlies and Blazers. There is some added buzz around Lakers games at the moment as LeBron James approaches the all-time NBA scoring record, and I think with the extra attention, the Lakers are playing a touch more inspired at the moment.
In saying that, with the line at just four points, I have to side with the Clippers here. For what feels like the first time this season, they finally have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George fit and firing at the same time, making them a dangerous team to play on any given night. There’s also a chance that LeBron misses this game, as he’s currently listed as questionable with ankle soreness.
