Thursday NBA means its time for a big NBA preview with all the best bets from our basketball tipping experts.
With an injury cloud over LeBron James, the Lakers clash against Houston has become all the more interesting.
boston @ charlotte
march 10th 11:00am
A big Eastern Conference battle between the Boston Celtics (39-27) and the Charlotte Hornets (32-33) takes place on Thursday at the Spectrum Center.
The Celtics hold sway in the season series with a 2-1 advantage and come into this match with a three-game winning streak after knocking off the Brooklyn Nets.
Charlotte, meanwhile, copped a wretched belting against Brooklyn as its defence failed yet again.
Every game from now till the end of the regular season will be worth its weight in gold for the Hornets as they sit on the edge of the playoffs positions in the East.
The last time the Hornets played the Celtics, it was as a six-point win for the lads from TD Garden.
What really stood out in that contest was the fact that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were well down on their best.
If the Celtics can beat the Hornets without big games from their dynamite duo, it’s tough to see them levelling up the season series.
Celtics to get the chocolates get as they cover the spread.
Suggested Bet: Boston Celtics -6.5 at $1.90
atlanta @ milwaukee
march 10th 12:00pm
Milwaukee Bucks will look to hold down second place in the Eastern Conference when they clash with the Atlanta Hawks at Fiserv Forum.
The Bucks were able to stave off a brave Oklahoma outfit on Wednesday and must now back that up without rest against a Hawks team keen to rebound off a disappointing overtime loss to Detroit.
Milwaukee has been one of the teams to struggle against the spread without a break in-between matches.
A 3-8 losing record just might have the Hawks in with a chance of making this close.
Trae Young will be keen to get back to his best basketball after was well held in the 113-110 loss against Detroit.
He managed only 14 points, which is a far cry from his 27.8 point-per-game average this season.
Thinking the Hawks can trouble the Bucks in this one.
Suggested Bet: Atlanta Hawks +5.5 at $1.91
la lakers @ houston
march 10th 12:00pm
The Los Angeles Lakers (28-36) are 3.5-point favorites as they look to break an eight-game road losing streak when they visit the Houston Rockets (16-49).
The Lakers are in desperate strife at the moment as their season teeters on the brink of disaster.
After going nuclear in a massive win over Golden State, LeBron James sat out the loss to San Antonio on Tuesday and he is no guarantee to line up against Houston.
The Rockets are playing well enough to cause headaches for the Lakers.
Houston has pushed some of the best teams in the league over their last four fixtures with a win over Memphis in between losses to Utah, Denver and Miami.
There is something to really like about the form of young gun Jalen Green.
He has matched it with and beaten some of the best guards in the league of late.
The Lakers will need to keep an eye on him if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Close game, Rockets to cover the spread.
Suggested Bet: Houston Rockets +3.5 at $1.87
portland @ utah
march 10th 2:00pm
Utah is the unbackable $1.03 favourite when it meets a wildly out-of-form Portland at Vivint Arena on Thursday afternoon.
The Portland Trailblazers are looking to snap a five-game losing streak after they looked woeful in a 124-81 loss against Minnesota on Sunday.
December 29 last year is when these two teams last met and it was the Jazz who careered away with a 120-105 win.
That winning margin could almost be doubled here given what Portland has dished up in the last fortnight.
There has almost not been a worse patch of form by any team in the league season.
The Trail Blazers have lost each of their last five games by at least 18, and four of those have been by more than 30.
The spread of -17.5 might seem a lot, but it is justified.
Suggested Bet: Utah -17.5 at $1.91
