The cream of the crop is taking to the court in a jam-packed slate of NBA this Friday. BetDeluxe profiles all five games.
Pistons vs. Bulls
20th January 7AM
Detroit’s season continues to go from bad to worse, with Monday’s 104-117 loss to New York their 13th from their past 17 games. The outlook doesn’t appear much brighter when you consider they’ve lost their past five against the Bulls.
They were without their leading scorer, Bojan Bogdanovic (21.2ppg), against the Knicks, but Jaden Ivey and Saddiq Bey stepped up with 21 each.
While not a leading chance in the markets, the playoff picture is still alive for the Bulls, who sit two games below the Pacers (8th) and Hawks (9th).
This, however, is a must-win, and they’ll be counting on another standout performance from Nikola Vucevic after he led them past the Warriors with 43 points and 13 boards on Monday.
Suggested Bet: Same Game Multi
- Chicago to win
- Over 236.5 Total Points
- N. Vucevic over 9.5 rebounds
- Z. LaVine to score 25+ points
- Total: $5.00
Celtics vs. Warriors
20th January 11:30AM
Clearly the match-up of the day, the Boston Celtics will be on the hunt for an eighth straight victory when they host the Golden State Warriors.
The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference will also feel the pressure of four consecutive losses to the Warriors, with the latest a 107-123 rout on December 11. The Celtics couldn’t find an answer to the Splash Brothers that night, as they combined for 66 points.
Jayson Tatum is hot-to-trot on the back of a dominant 51-point, 9-rebound, 5-assist performance against the Hornets on Tuesday, a far cry from the 18 points he dropped on 28.6% shooting when they last met.
Klay Thompson is expected to return for the Warriors after missing Tuesday’s win over the Wizards. Steph Curry dropped 41 in his absence as the Warriors improved to 22-22 and sixth in the West.
Suggested Bet: Boston to win at $1.38
Timberwolves vs. Raptors
20th January 12PM
The Timberwolves will be on the one-day backup from their trip to Denver when they face the Raptors at the Target Center.
Sitting just one spot outside the playoff picture in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves have mixed it with the best this season and won six of their past eight.
Anthony Edwards has been a standout offensively with 23.9ppg, but it’s their big men, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, who have successfully shouldered most of the responsibility.
The Raptors are coming off a 130-122 loss to the Bucks, where they once again used only eight players for the match. Fred VanVleet continued his red-hot form with 39 points.
Suggested Bet: Minnesota to win at $2.24
Trail Blazers vs. 76ers
20th January 2PM
The Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers will meet for the first time in 14 months, and it’s safe to say a lot has changed since then.
The 76ers are performing like a genuine playoff threat after defeating the Clippers 120-110 on Wednesday and leaving LA with back-to-back wins. Joel Embiid delivered a monster 41-point and 9-rebound display in 33 minutes of play, while Tyrese Maxey came off the bench and dropped 22.
After their gallant performance against Denver on Wednesday, Portland isn’t without a chance. Damian Lillard’s dominant form continued as he scored 44 and knocked down six from beyond the arc. His record reads 44, 40, 36 & 50 from his past four games.
Suggested Bet: Philadelphia to win at $1.73
Suns vs. Nets
20th January 2PM
The days of the 12-game winning streak seem a distant memory for the Brooklyn Nets after they slumped to a third consecutive loss on Wednesday.
Despite entering their match against San Antonio as short-priced favourites, the Nets failed to fire on the offensive end without Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, managing a combined 32 points through Q1 and Q3.
The Nets should still have the firepower to overcome the Suns, who have lost nine of their last 10. They’ve been ravaged by injuries to Devon Booker (groin) and Chris Paul (hip) but will be buoyed by Paul’s full practice session on Wednesday.
Suggested Bet: Brooklyn to win at $1.87
