NBA Thursday is upon us and there’s a massive slate of games to look forward to. It should be an exciting day of action so join us here as we assess the markets of some of the key upcoming games and showcase our NBA betting tips for Thursday, 23rd November!
2017-18 NBA Preview & Betting Tips for Thursday, 23rd November
Portland Trail Blazers At Philadelphia 76ers (11:00am AEST)
The Trail Blazers (10-7) will play their second of a five-game road trip when they take on the 76ers on Wednesday. They are coming off a 100-92 victory over the Grizzlies on Tuesday, where their star point-guard Damian Lillard suffered an ankle sprain. Although he ended up returning and contributing to the win, he’ll unlikely be at 100% for their duel with Philly. A key focus area for the Blazers will undoubtedly be trying to contain Simmons and Embiid in the paint, which has proven to be no easy feat thus far.
The 76ers (9-7) will play their third of a six-game homestand against the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. They have won three of their last four games and are coming in to this one fresh off a 107-86 thrashing of Utah on Monday. Rookie Ben Simmons is thought of by many as the runaway Rookie of the Year this season and only furthered his credentials with a dominant 27-point 10-rebound performance against the Jazz. With JJ Redick and Robert Covington shooting high percentages from beyond the arc and Joel Embiid dominating the paint the 76ers seem to be genuine contenders in the Eastern Conference.
We expect Simmons and Embiid to both have big games against Portland’s weak interior defence and the 76ers to claim a comfortable win at home.
TIP: Philadelphia 76ers at the line (-5) - $1.95 at Sportsbet
Golden State Warriors At Oklahoma City Thunder (12:00pm AEST)
The Warriors (13-4) have recovered from their streak-ending loss to the Celtics by winning their last two road games against the 76ers and the Nets. The Warriors will look to finish off their four-game road trip with a win against the Thunder on Wednesday. Steph Curry has returned to some hot form, scoring 35 and 39 in his last two, while fellow splash-brother Klay Thompson (20.1 points per game) continues to shoot lights out from the beyond the arc (46% 3pt FG), hitting on nearly half of his 122 attempts so far.
The Thunder (7-9) return home for this clash with the Warriors after losing both games of their short two-game road trip. Their latest loss was a 107-114 defeat to the Pelicans, where they led by as much as 19 in the first quarter. Closing out games has been a struggle all season for the Thunder, with turnovers and missed shots becoming far too common down the stretch. Paul George has found his shooting touch and now averages 21.9 points per game, while reigning MVP Russell Westbrook continues to rack up triple doubles, claiming his fifth of the season against the Pelicans on Monday.
We expect the Warriors to rise to the occasion and show the league who’s the top dog with a convincing win against the new super team in Oklahoma.
TIP: Golden State Warriors at the line (-6.5) - $1.91 at Ladbrokes
Los Angeles Lakers At Sacramento Kings (2:30pm AEST)
The Lakers (8-10) will play their second game of a back-to-back when they travel to Sacramento to face the Kings. The Lakers finished off their four game homestand with consecutive wins against the Nuggets and the Bulls to keep their playoff push alive. Caldwell-Pope has settled in nicely and averages 16.3 points across his last three games, while rookie Kyle Kuzma continues to remind everyone he’s the steal of the draft, averaging a team high 16.8 points and 6.6 rebounds.
The Kings (4-13) will play their second of a three-game homestand against the Lakers on Wednesday. They are coming off consecutive blowout losses to the Trail Blazers and the Nuggets and are desperately searching for consistency from their starters. Scoring the ball continues to be the major concern for the Kings, which is highlighted by Zach Randolph’s 12.3 points per game being good enough to lead all other Kings players. Against a fast-paced potent Lakers offense it’s hard to see them keeping up with them here.
We are expecting the Lakers to make it three wins in a row with a comfortable victory in Sacramento on Wednesday.
TIP: Los Angeles Lakers to win - $1.96 at CrownBet
_ _ _
Always Gamble Responsibly.
