The Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers headline the BetDeluxe NBA preview today as do the Los Angeles Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets.
It’s yet another opportunity to slam dunk some winners into our betting account.
Best bets and previews below.
philadelphia @ utah
february 16th 1:00pm
The first-placed Eastern Conference Philadelphia 76ers are on the road against the first-placed Western Conference Utah Jazz at the Vivint Smart Home Arena.
With an incredible 12-2 home record which sees them, for the time being, safely atop of the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz have put together one of the most formidable NBA streaks in recent history.
An 18-1 record from its last 19 games has been led by MVP candidate Donovan Mitchell who has been sublime in the shooting guard role for the Jazz so far this season.
Mitchell has been in the point-scoring mood all year with an average of 24.2 points per game while Rudy Gobert sits third for rebounds per game in the NBA having clawed down an average 13.4 rebounds.
It will be a stern test for Joel Embiid at centre for the 76ers who is in career best form.
The 213cm 26-year-old has been the most dominant player in the league this season and his credentials for MVP are well and truly justified with an incredible 29.6 points per game at 54.3% from the field to go with 10.8 rebounds per match.
The battle between Gobert and Embiid will go a long way to determining which team wins.
Defensively, Gobert will pose arguably one the most difficult tasks for Embiid in his huge purple patch of form.
From an offensive point of view, both teams score at quite a similar rate with the Jazz averaging 115 points on offence this season compared to that of the 76ers who average 114.1.
The difference between both squads lies in defence.
Utah ranked second in the league for points conceded having only allowed opposition teams to 105.7 points per game against them while the 76ers ranked a respectable ninth and have conceded 110.8 per game.
It’s these subtle differences that bode well for the Jazz in what is the first time these teams have met this season.
This will be a great game nonetheless but the Jazz look set to continue their irresistible hot streak of form.
Suggested Bet: Utah Jazz to cover the point spread -7.5 at $1.91
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Utah Jazz head to head
Leg 2: Ruby Gobert over 10.5 rebounds
Leg 3: Donovan Mitchell over 25.5 points
Leg 4: Total game score under 227.5
Combined odds = $5.5
miami @ la clippers
february 16th 2:00pm
The Los Angeles Clippers welcome the Miami Heat to the Staples Center today with the home team looking to mark its territory and extend on its 20-8 record while the Heat are seeking to make amends after being downed by the Utah Jazz.
It was the Clippers who got the better of the Heat when the teams first met this season on January 29 at the American Airlines Centre.
The Clippers, who were with Kawhi Leondard, survived a late charge from the Heat to grip on for a pulsating 109-105 win in a momentum swinging match which saw Miami relinquish an early 18-point lead.
It must be noted, too, the Heat were without their most prolific player Jimmy Butler who was recovering from injury.
His return to the Heat line-up has been felt immediately with the 31-year-old cranking it up in the last 10 games to go at 21.6 points per game and a shade over eight assists and rebounds per game.
It’s no coincidence the Heat snapped a five-game losing streak as Butler started to find his feet again.
The Heat had notched up five wins from its last seven games – which included a run of four victories in a row – before being humbled by the Jazz 112-94 on Sunday.
It was the third quarter which cost the Heat against the Jazz as it conceded 31 points to 15 and it was the same quarter that proved fatal against the Clippers earlier in the season when it conceded 40 points to 19.
The Clippers seem to have the edge on offence and defence.
Ranked the 3rd highest in the league for points per game with 115.8 and ranked fifth in the league with a points conceded per game tally of 108 points the Clippers have a distinct advantage.
Tough to see how the Heat can turn the tables on the Clippers this time.
Suggested bet: Los Angeles Clippers head to head at $1.62
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Clippers win
Leg 2: Total points scored over 215.5
BROOKLYN @ SACRAMENTO
february 16th 2:00PM
The offensive powerhouse of the NBA the Brooklyn Nets venture off to the Golden 1 Centre when it tips off against the Sacramento Kings today.
The Nets will be without Kevin Durant for this match as he battles a mild hamstring strain which will mean Kyrie Irving and James Harden will need to shoulder the load offensively.
After losing three straight, the Nets bounced back with two consecutive victories with wins over the Indiana Pacers and most recently on Saturday night over the Golden State Warriors 134-117.
The Kings head into this game having lost its first three of five consecutive home games.
Losses to the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and the Memphis Grizzlies has seen the Kings home record slump to 7-9 as it sits precariously in 11th, just outside the play-in position..
This game is a case of one of, if not, the best offensive line-ups in the league in the form of Brooklyn lining up against arguably the worst defence in the league.
Sacramento have been abysmal in the backcourt and have allowed opposition to score 118.7 points per game which leaves Luke Walton’s men ranked last in this area of the league.
It’s a statistic that does not bode well for a match up against an abundant Brooklyn offence who has genuine aspirations of reaching not only the playoffs but the finals.
Expecting this to be a comfortable win for Brooklyn even without Durant.
Suggested Bet: Brooklyn Nets head to head at $1.52
