NBA Friday is back with three big games to follow. BetDeluxe finds all the trends and form to give you the information you need.
Heat vs. Clippers
9th December 11:30AM
Miami is officially in crisis mode.
Sitting in 11th place on the Eastern Conference standings and being thrashed by an undermanned Detroit is as low as anyone would have predicted the Heat to be this season. Jimmy Butler is a chance to return to the line-up, which would bring a much-needed boost, while Victor Oladipo will be better for his first outing of the season. But even with those changes and the excellent form of Tyler Herro, the Heat will struggle to match a Clippers team that has also dealt with inconsistency and has only performed marginally better this season.
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are finally taking to the court at the same time while John Wall is finding his groove setting up plays.
Both teams are playing well below their best, but it’s the Clippers to grind out a win here.
Suggested Bet: Los Angeles to win at $2.61
Spurs vs. Rockets
9th December 12:30AM
Once one of the biggest rivalries in the west, this game will now gauge how early in the season is too early for tanking.
San Antonio and Houston are right in the mix for a prized lottery pick, and this result could play a role in deciding the standings at the bottom of the west.
Houston has found a small patch of form, defeating Phoenix and Philadelphia recently, with Jalen Green stepping up as a genuine scoring option while Kevin Porter Jr is relishing his role in the starting line-up.
San Antonio is struggling, losing its past 11 games as their season fades fast. Jakob Poetl has been one of the best of an underwhelming bunch, giving physicality in the post, but he is questionable to return from injury. You won’t see many games this season where the Rockets are the favourites, but that is the case here, and rightfully so.
Suggested Bet: Houston to win at $1.70
Trailblazers vs. Nuggets
9th December 2:00PM
Portland has been one of the interesting teams this season, initially playing above expectations without star Damian Lillard before descending into a frustrating cycle of inconsistency. Consecutive wins over Utah and Indiana, followed by a five-day break to freshen up, should place them in good stead, with Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons continuing their vastly improved performances.
They face a Nuggets team amid a minor slump, having dropped their past three games despite some sizeable contributions from Nikola Jokic. Denver’s issues have been on defense, which seems remarkable for a team that boasts Jokic. If they can’t tighten that up in time, they could face a fourth consecutive defeat.
Suggested Bet: Trailblazers to win at $1.91
