Maybe the Golden State Warriors winning the Western Conference yet again isn’t quite a forgone conclusion after all. The Houston Rockets impressively beat the Dubs on Saturday night and won the season series between the teams, 2-1. They appear on a collision course for the West Finals. Here are two intriguing NBA betting matchups this week. Check back for the latest NBA odds at our online sportsbook on gameday.
Philly enters the week playing its best basketball of the season, winning seven of eight to climb to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Sixers are a bit banged up in the backcourt, though. On Saturday, the team was without its top two shooting guards. JJ Redick (cracked bone below his knee) is out at least a week and Jerryd Bayless (sore left wrist) didn’t dress.
The NBA’s highest net rating since Christmas belongs to the +9.7 76ers. They have lost seven straight at home in this series, but this year’s Sixers team is much better than those ones were. Chicago’s 15-8 record (.652) since Dec. 8 is the third-best in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls only trail Miami (.727) and Toronto (.696).
Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week – January 22nd Edition
NBA power rankings: Warriors move to No. 1; Pelicans at No. 13 https://t.co/scReJUBqPu pic.twitter.com/sHm3lgzMdh
— PelicansHoops (@PelicansHoops) January 22, 2018
Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
When: Tuesday, 10:30 PM ET (ESPN) One of the great rivalries in the NBA is renewed. Unfortunately, we won’t see a matchup between the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, Lonzo Ball of the Lakers, and the No. 3 overall, Jayson Tatum of the Celtics. Ball is out with a knee injury. Coach Luke Walton said that he’s still several steps away from being able to play. If the Lakers could do things all over again, would they take Tatum over Ball? Tatum is having the better rookie season and doesn’t bring with him the baggage of a loudmouth clown of a father like LaVar Ball. Then again, the Lakers already have a Tatum-type player in second-year Brandon Ingram, who like Tatum was one-and-done at Duke. Boston goes for the season sweep as it beat the visiting Lakers on Nov. 8, 107-96. Aron Baynes matched his career high with 21 points, and Kyrie Irving scored 19. Boston was without Al Horford due to a concussion and Tatum left in the second quarter with an ankle injury. Boston led by 20 in the second quarter before letting the lead shrink to two in the third. Los Angeles then struggled down the stretch, shooting 5 of 18 from the field with six turnovers in the final period. Ball finished with nine points, six assists and five rebounds, making just 4 of 15 from the field. This starts a tough four-game West Coast trip for Boston, which has lost three straight – all at home. It was shocked there by a bad Orlando team on Sunday, 103-95. Irving returned after missing a game with a sore shoulder and had 40 points. It was only Orlando’s third win in the past 20 games and snapped a 14-game losing streak in Boston. Trailing 59-58 at halftime, Orlando outscored the Celtics 32-12 in the third quarter while shooting 60 percent. Tatum struggled with his shot on Sunday, going 4-of-11 from the field on his way to nine points. He really hasn’t had two bad games in a row yet this season. We know Ball won’t play here. Will L.A.’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope? He missed a second straight game Sunday vs. the Knicks with an Achilles injury. Jordan Clarkson blew up in Sunday’s win over the Knicks with 29 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Clarkson became the first Laker to have a 25-10 game off the bench since Magic Johnson did it back in 1996.Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers (WGN, CSN)
When: Wednesday, 7 PM ET It’s the second meeting of the season between these two. The Bulls beat the visiting 76ers on Dec. 18, 117-115. Nikola Mirotic and Kris Dunn each had 22 points for Chicago, which was playing its best basketball of the season back then. Seven players scored in double figures for Chicago. The Bulls are currently without Dunn. The second-year point guard took a nasty fall during last Wednesday’s game vs. the Warriors, landing face-first and knocking loose a few teeth. A concussion was initially ruled out, but subsequent tests revealed that he did have one. Ben Simmons had 19 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Sixers in the first meeting with Chicago. Dario Saric scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half. It was the second of a back-to-back so All-Star center Joel Embiid didn’t play. He should be in there Wednesday because this isn’t part of a back-to-back. Embiid still isn’t cleared to play back-to-back games following knee surgery last March. Coach Brett Brown said his fitness level is 85-90 percent.
Philly enters the week playing its best basketball of the season, winning seven of eight to climb to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Sixers are a bit banged up in the backcourt, though. On Saturday, the team was without its top two shooting guards. JJ Redick (cracked bone below his knee) is out at least a week and Jerryd Bayless (sore left wrist) didn’t dress.
The NBA’s highest net rating since Christmas belongs to the +9.7 76ers. They have lost seven straight at home in this series, but this year’s Sixers team is much better than those ones were. Chicago’s 15-8 record (.652) since Dec. 8 is the third-best in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls only trail Miami (.727) and Toronto (.696).
