Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Tuesday 12/25/18
Bucks won six of last eight games, are 6-8-1 vs spread on road this year. Eight of their last ten games stayed under. New York lost nine of its last ten games; they’re 0-5 vs spread in last five home games. Five of their last seven games went over. Knicks lost six of last seven games with Milwaukee; last four series games went over the total. Bucks are 2-3 vs spread in their last five visits to Manhattan.
Thunder won four of their last five games; they’re 9-7 vs spread on road this year. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games. Houston won six of its last seven games; they’re 5-0-1 vs spread in last six home games. Under is 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Oklahoma City won three of last four games with the Rockets; Thunder is 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Houston. Five of last six series games stayed under.
Sixers won three of last four games; they’re 5-10 vs spread on road this year. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games. Boston lost three of its last four games; they’re 5-2 vs spread in last seven home games. Celtics’ last six games went over the total. Celtics won eight of last ten games with Philly; three of last four series games stayed under total. 76ers are 1-5 vs spread in their last six visits to Boston.
Lakers lost four of their last six games; they’re 3-7 vs spread in last ten road games. LA’s last three games stayed under the total. Golden State won eight of its last ten games; they’re 2-10 vs spread in last dozen home games. Under is 5-3 in their last eight home games. Warriors won their last seven games with the Lakers, but LA covered three of last four; Lakers are 1-4 vs spread in their last five visits to Oakland. Three of last four series games went over.
Portland lost four of its last seven games; they’re 4-2 vs spread in last six home games. Under is 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Utah lost five of its last eight games, is 4-1 vs spread in their last five home games. Last six Jazz games stayed under the total. Jazz is 5-3 in their last eight games with Portland (under 6-2). Trailblazers are 1-3 vs spread in their last four visits to Salt Lake City.
By Tony Mejia
Milwaukee (-10, 227) at New York, ESPN, 12:05 ET
The Knicks (9-25 SU, 16-17-1 ATS) have been able to get their youth movement started in a season that was always going to unfold as it has, featuring plenty of losing and growing pains under David Fizdale with superstar forward Kristaps Porzingis rehabbing a torn ACL. The first-year Knicks coach has definitely gotten guys to play hard, supply an honest effort and compete for minutes but his team comes into this one losers in nine of 10. Reclamation project Emmanuel Mudiay has taken the reins at the point guard, scoring 32 or more points in three of the last five games. Rookie Kevin Knox has entered the starting lineup on Dec. 12 and has averaged 19.3 in the six games since gaining his promotion.
New York has only won once in those six games, which is one reason it is a double-digit underdog to open this quintuple-header. The Knicks have split their two meetings against the Bucks (22-10, ) this season, winning 136-134 on Dec. 1 behind 28 points from Mudiay and 26 off the bench from the 19-year-old Knox, whose five 3-pointers remain a season-best.
That loss was an important one for the Bucks since they were cruising along as one of the league’s top stories at the time, having won 15 of their first 21 games. Khris Middleton was benched by head coach Mike Budenholzer for the fourth quarter and OT in that loss over a lack of effort and then was held out of the next game despite no suspension officially being announced. The message was clear – the Bucks are too talented to be loafing around putting themselves in jeopardy of losing to teams they have no business struggling against.
Milwaukee is playing on Christmas Day for the first time since 1977 and has won seven of 10 since that OT shocker at the Garden. Middleton has shot himself out of his slump, point guard Eric Bledsoe has joined him in receiving All-Star consideration and Malcolm Brogdon has really come into his own, averaging 15.1 points and emerging as a surprise member of the 50-40-90 club, shooting 50.6 percent from the field, 44.7 percent from 3-point range and 98 percent from beyond the arc. Together with MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokounmpo (2-to-1 at Westgate LV Superbook), the Bucks have emerged as a viable threat to win the Eastern Conference, currently a 4-to-1 choice at Westgate (@SuperbookUSA on Twitter) behind only the Celtics and Raptors, both of which are 7-to-5.
Despite the strong start, this will be the first time many will get a look at a Bucks team since there are many casual fans who don’t pay attention until this annual Christmas tradition, which always coincides with the NFL wrapping up its regular season.
For our first present, totals expert Chris David of VegasInisder.com has arrived with a sack full of recommendations. David isn’t laying or taking the points in this game believes we could see the scoreboard operator working extra hard in the holiday opener.
“Betting the ‘under’ in NBA games on Christmas has become a popular lean for many but following that trend on this particular matchup may not be that easy,” David said. “The Knicks are a mess defensively and Milwaukee brings the top scoring offense in the league to Madison Square Garden plus I dug up a nice total angle that’s developed with New York this season.
“As double-digit underdogs this season, the Knicks have gone 2-8 SU and 5-5 ATS. In those games, the defense has really suffered (122.8 PPG) and that’s translated into an 8-2 ‘over’ mark. If you’re hesitant to shy away from the holiday ‘under’ lean, then I would recommend you to take a stab on the Bucks team total ‘over’ (118 ½).”
Milwaukee comes off a season-low 87 points in a Saturday night loss in Miami but had scored at least 120 in its previous two outings. New York has surrendered at least 110 points in 13 consecutive games. Brogdon and Knicks rookie Allonzo Trier are considered game-time decisions due to hamstring injuries.
Oklahoma City at Houston (-1.5, 221), ABC, 3:05 ET
The Thunder (21-11, 18-14) visit the Rockets (17-15, 14-17-1) for the second time this season and will look for a repeat performance to continue their ascent in taking Houston’s place as the league’s most viable threat to the Warriors. Although the Timberwolves snapped their four-game winning streak on Sunday night with a 114-112 upset in Oklahoma City, the Thunder open Tuesday one game behind Golden State, trailing the Nuggets by a half-game in the Northwest Division.
Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double again, having pulled off his ninth of the season against Minnesota. Surprisingly, his scoring clip is just 20.2 per game, since the most impactful tweak he’s made has been in allowing Paul George to assert himself and find his rhythm. George had one 30-point game over his first 12 games of the season but has 10 of them over the last 20. He’s averaging 32.8 points over the past 10 and scored 43 in consecutive games last week, so he’s clearly in rhythm and will be a priority for Houston to get a handle on.
VegasInsider.com NBA expert Kevin Rogers points out that the Thunder has lost back-to-back games only once since an 0-4 start but knows there’s danger ahead given a number of trends favoring the home team.
“Since starting 0-4 at home, the Rockets have regained their home-court advantage at Toyota Center by posting a 10-1 mark in the last 11 opportunities,” said Rogers. “Houston has put together an 8-2-1 ATS mark in this stretch, including Saturday’s 108-101 victory over San Antonio as five-point favorites. The Rockets have dominated the Thunder at home since April 2014 by winning nine of the last 10 matchups at Toyota Center, although OKC won at Houston this past April.”
James Harden will have to be great in order for the Rockets to hold serve and has only averaged 23.8 points over his career on Christmas, the same clip as former teammate Westbrook. He was held to just 19 points in the lone meeting against OKC this season, shooting 7-for-19 despite Paul's presence next to him. Westbrook didn't even play so George did his best impression and finished with a triple-double in the 98-80 win on Nov. 8, Houston's lowest-scoring output of the season. OKC out-rebounded the Rockets 52-39.
Harden is averaging 32 points on the season and 39.7 over the last six games, so he’ll need a special performance since the Rockets remain without Chris Paul (hamstring) and are just 1-5 SU and ATS without their All-Star point guard. That win came on Saturday night in a 108-101 home win over the Spurs where they covered as 5.5-point favorites. Gerald Green provided a boost with 31 minutes off the bench. Either he or undrafted third-year wing Danuel House will find themselves on the floor in key roles with Harden, Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela, so expect them to be x-factors.
Austin Rivers was officially signed on Monday and is expected to see minutes, so Harden will have a little more help with starting forward James Ennis III (hamstring) also sidelined. My expectation is that although he’ll probably be the day’s top scorer – see if your book has that prop available – the Rockets will come up short at home. Take the Thunder plus the points.
Philadelphia at Boston (-4, 223), ABC, 5:35 ET
With the Raptors currently setting the pace in the entire league with at 25-10 mark, there’s a good chance that these Atlantic Division rivals will be dueling for homecourt advantage from here until April. If Indiana keeps up its pace, the 76ers (22-12, 16-18) and Celtics (19-13, 16-16) could very well wind up the East’s 4-5 series, which means we could be referencing this meeting often over the next few months.
Boston won the first matchup in the season opener way back on Oct. 16 105-87, but that matchup didn’t feature Jimmy Butler, which is one reason why this Christmas clash is so important. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Celtics have won 15 of 17 regular-season meetings and are 19-3 when you include last season’s playoff meeting that the 76ers lost 4-1.
The hope is that Butler’s acquisition will help turn the tide in this series since he gives the team the closer it’s lacked, not to mention an elite defender to help contend with Boston’s many weapons. The 76ers are 13-4 with Butler in the lineup, so while there are still plenty of chemistry issues to solve, a “Big Three” featuring him and young standouts Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons carries plenty of potential. While the Celtics are the co-favorite to win the East (7/5), there’s great value in the 76ers at 6-to-1.
The 76ers crushed the depleted Raptors 126-101 on Saturday, and while that result is rather meaningless since Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka were out of the lineup, there’s been progress made despite depth issues remaining a concern. On that end, Wilson Chandler (quad) is considered a game-time decision while former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz remains out and his future with Philly is still a major question mark.
Boston welcomed Marcus Morris back to the lineup in Sunday’s 119-103 rout of the Hornets, which snapped a season-long three-game losing streak. The Celtics remain without center Aron Baynes (hand) and may therefore struggle to contain Embiid.
David believes that if you’re leaning to Philadelphia as an underdog, then a money-line play is justified at 3/2 odds (Bet $100 to win $150).
“Philly has caught points 10 times this season and the point-spread hasn’t mattered in any of the games. Granted, the 76ers haven’t been great as ‘dogs overall (4-6 SU, 4-6 ATS), their record is 3-2 since Jimmy Butler joined the club,” David said. “The Celtics have gone 10-4 at TD Garden this season when listed as favorites and they’ve covered nine of those victories. For me, it’s Boston minus the points or Philadelphia outright.”
The 76ers have only won once at TD Garden in 12 outings since the start of the 2014 season, posting an 89-80 win back in January. Kyrie Irving didn’t play in that contest.
L.A. Lakers at Golden State (-9, 235), ABC/ESPN, 8:05 ET
This is being billed as the Christmas present for the masses, which must be why it will be available on two networks. Since both teams have been pointing to this one since the schedule was released, the fact that the books have made Golden State such a heavy favorite is an indictment on LeBron James and what the Lakers have accomplished thus far.
After all, L.A. originally opened as 10.5-point underdog despite coming into this game completely healthy. James’ team has lost three of four, dropping road games against the Wizards and Nets before losing at home to the Grizzlies on Sunday night despite his 22 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Golden State has won eight of 10 but has covered in just a single game over the past seven after surviving the Clippers 129-127 on Sunday night behind 42 points from Stephen Curry, who won the game in the final second. Kevin Durant added 35 points and 12 rebounds but critics still lamented why it’s taking so much effort to pull off wins against teams the Warriors typically dominate.
While you can’t please everyone, Golden State is the super team that seemingly can’t please anyone, so the expectation that the betting public would ride with James and his young Lakers teammates plus the points is likely what the books were going for when setting the spread where they did.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has been looking for a spark from the second unit and is now playing Curry with them, which is why his usage has been so high of late. Thompson shot 4-for-15 from the field against the Clips and teams have been intentionally leaving Draymond Green open so he’ll shoot, doubling others with great results. Green shot 4-for-12 last time out and is shooting 37 percent from the field since returning from an injury, shooting 5-for-19 from 3-point range (26 percent).
Green will undoubtedly be left open by design here, which means that he’ll have to knock down his clean looks if the Warriors are expected to win comfortably. While Curry is in a great rhythm, it’s Durant whose 31.1 points per game is the NBA’s top scoring average on Christmas among active players. He dropped 44 points on Denver in 2010 and may also be worth a look in a top-scorer prop.
LeBron comes in with a 26.8-points per game average on Dec. 25 but has had some excellent shooting games with the Lakers, shooting nearly 52 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc in the purple and gold. L.A. is the deepest it has been this season with Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo back from injuries. Kyle Kuzma has emerged as James’ top scoring sidekick, but Lonzo Ball’s importance has also grown over the past few weeks as he begins to prove his worth as a defender, distributor and taker of clutch perimeter looks that will inevitably be increasingly available so long as he’s playing off the ball alongside James.
This is the Lakers’ biggest game of the season, so it will certainly be used as a measuring stick for what James can expect from his teammates going forward. The Cavs lost 12 of 13 games against the Warriors despite LeBron’s best efforts, covering only twice. He’s won eight of 12 career games on Christmas.
Golden State will also view this as a big game since it’s the final time they’ll spend the holiday in Oakland’s Oracle Arena, so count on a festive atmosphere. DeMarcus Cousins’ debut is next up on the list and won’t come here, so this Golden State team is just temporary. The same can’t be said for the Lakers, who should have centers JaVale McGee (flu) and Tyson Chandler (back) in the mix. Check on their availability prior to tip-off to ensure that the Lakers won’t be forced to go small before pulling the trigger on side or total.
Portland at Utah (-6, 214.5), ESPN, 10:35 ET
If you’ve still got an appetite for basketball after the main course, this should end up being a tasty dessert.
The Jazz just routed the Trail Blazers 120-90 last Friday night, which is the only setback that Portland has suffered over the past five games. This should certainly ensure Utah will get the Blazers’ best punch as the road team on the holiday. History certainly favors a strong performance since they’ve won 14 of 17 career games on Christmas.
Utah has won two of three games and has seen center Rudy Gobert impose his will of late. The Jazz are still waiting for Donovan Mitchell to straighten out his jump shot and be more efficient, but have started to figure some things out to crawl out from the hole they’ve dug for themselves.
David provided a winner to our VI users in our NBA Free Picks feature on Friday with the ‘under’ (213 ½) between Utah and Portland and he believes the trend will continue on Christmas.
“Including last Friday’s outcome, the ‘under’ has cashed in three straight and six of the past eight meetings between the pair. We’re also starting to see Utah get back to its defensive form recently," David said. "The club has held its last six opponents to 97 PPG and that’s led to a 6-0 ‘under’ streak heading into this game. Knowing Portland’s offense doesn’t travel as well, I’d expect another grinder on Tuesday.”
The Trail Blazers come into the game healthy and have been solid despite second-leading scoring guard C.J. McCollum slumping. He shot 5-for-15 from the field, while starting forwards Al-Farouq Aminu and Moe Harkless combined to shoot 2-for-13. They'll look to get back on track as the Blazers aim to take their otherwise solid form into a crucial stretch.
"Portland is in the midst of a brutal schedule through January 5. The Blazers travel to Utah on Tuesday, followed by a home-and-home set with Golden State, then hosting Philadelphia to close out 2018. It’s not done yet, as Portland tips off 2019 by traveling to surprising Sacramento before hosting Oklahoma City and Houston on a back-to-back," said Rogers. "Fact of the matter is that the Blazers overcame a 1-6 stretch from late November through early December to remain in the mix of the Western Conference playoff race by winning six of the past nine contests. This upcoming stretch for Portland will definitely be one that the Blazers look back when April rolls around as one that can make or break a season."
Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks Preview and Predictions 2018-12-25
NBA PREDICTIONS 24TH DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE
The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA and will get a chance to showcase their talent to a national audience when they visit the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. The Bucks lead the NBA in scoring (116.9 points) and sit in second place in the East despite an uncharacteristic performance in a loss at Miami on Saturday.
Milwaukee knocked off the Boston Celtics 120-107 on Friday to extend a winning streak to four straight but did not have enough energy left over in a visit to the Heat the next night and fell 94-87 in the team's lowest-scoring performance of the season. "They hit us first, they were physical with us," Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters. "We came from a back-to-back, but that's not any excuse for us. We didn't make shots; we had a lot of open shots that didn't go in. Just being able to stick around and be in the game and have a chance to win says a lot about this team." The Knicks are at the opposite end of the spectrum in the East and come in losers of nine of 10 after squandering a 15-point lead in a 114-107 home loss to Atlanta on Friday. "For whatever reason, we are hitting walls in that third quarter," New York coach David Fizdale told reporters. "That's our new quarter, for some reason. We look fatigued, and we stop moving the ball. Everything that was sharp in the first half, kind of fades out in the second. We have to figure it out; I even try to get into the rotation earlier in the third just to see if I can get some fresh legs going."
TV: Noon, ET, ESPN, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (22-10): Milwaukee doesn't doubt that it will find its way offensively and took pride in its effort on the defensive end in Saturday's setback. The Bucks held the Heat to 38.2 percent shooting and blocked nine shots to pull themselves back into the game after managing just eight points in the first quarter. "Our guys competed and kept coming back on a night where it was tough to buy a bucket," coach Mike Budenholzer said. "But I think the defensive effort and activity and competitiveness was in a great place. ... Just couldn't make a couple plays down the stretch, but I'm proud of the way the guys competed."
ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-25): New York is using 2018-19 as a rebuilding season and is looking for consistency from rookie swingman Kevin Knox. The Kentucky product finished with 24 points on Friday but 17 came in the first quarter as Knox went 1-of-9 from the floor over the final three periods. "That first half I was on fire," Knox told reporters. "I felt really good out there, making the right reads, making my shots. Then that second half was just something I've got to get better at. I'm not very happy with myself, the way I played in the second half. That's something I've got to really improve. I'm a rookie. I'm going to learn how to be able to fight through those moments, those tough times, and be able to stay hot, stay aggressive in the second half."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Antetokounmpo scored a season-low nine points on 3-of-12 shooting Saturday.
2. Knicks rookie C Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is expected to miss his fifth straight game on Tuesday but could join the team on a six-game road trip starting Thursday.
3. Milwaukee dropped a 136-134 decision in overtime at New York on Dec. 1 despite 33 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists from Antetokounmpo.
PREDICTION: Bucks 123, Knicks 110
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets Preview and Predictions 2018-12-25
NBA PREDICTIONS 24TH DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE
The Houston Rockets look to record their seventh victory in the past eight games when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day. The Rockets can move a season-best three games over .500 with a win against the Thunder, who own the third-best record in the Western Conference.
Reigning MVP James Harden had 39 points and 10 assists in Saturday's 108-101 home triumph over the San Antonio Spurs and is averaging 39.7 points while topping 30 in six straight games. "That's what we do, we do it at a high level," Harden told reporters after the victory. "We shoot the ball, we shoot it with confidence. Some are going to go in, some aren't. That's the way we play." Oklahoma City had a four-game winning streak halted as it fell 114-112 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Thunder star forward Paul George registered 31 points and 11 rebounds against Minnesota for his fifth 30-point effort in six games and he is averaging 34.3 points during the stretch.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE THUNDER (21-11): Point guard Russell Westbrook recorded triple-doubles in three of the past four games after contributing 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against the Timberwolves. Westbrook has nine triple-doubles this season and 113 in his career but had failed to reach the 20-point mark in five straight games before a 10-of-19 shooting performance against Minnesota. Westbrook averaged 29 points and 9.3 assists in three games against the Rockets in 2017-18 but missed this season's first matchup due to an ankle injury.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (17-15): Center Clint Capela had 21 points and a season-best 23 rebounds in the win over San Antonio for his third 20-point outing in the past five games. The 24-year-old has 22 double-doubles this season and his second 20-rebound effort of the campaign impressed shooting guard Eric Gordon. "He's young and athletic, so that really helps, but he's one of the best rebounders in the league," Gordon told reporters. "We need him to continue to do that. With all these long shots and him being around the rim all the time, we definitely need him to be our rim protector and get a lot of rebounds. We need him to be big like that all the time."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder limited Harden to 19 points while posting a 98-80 home win on Nov. 8.
2. Houston signed G Austin Rivers to help provide backcourt depth with PG Chris Paul (hamstring) sidelined for two to four weeks.
3. Oklahoma City C Steven Adams collected just four rebounds against Minnesota after averaging 16.5 over the previous two contests.
PREDICTION: Rockets 124, Thunder 118
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Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Preview and Predictions 2018-12-25
NBA PREDICTIONS 24TH DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE
The Philadelphia 76ers continue to dominate on their home floor while sometimes struggling for success on the road, a trend that began with an 18-point loss at Boston to begin the season. The Sixers hope some holiday spirit will lift them in a return trip to TD Garden to take on the host Celtics on Christmas Day.
Philadelphia improved to an NBA-best 16-3 at home by routing Eastern Conference-leading Toronto 126-101 on Saturday, but they carry a 6-9 road mark into the opener of a challenging five-game road trip at Boston, which some see as an opportunity to truly test the team. "...Take it a bit further and look at the month of January," coach Brett Brown recently told reporters. "It is real and it's just the way it should be. We love it. We want this. We hope we can extract as much health to perform against that schedule as possible." The Celtics have their own road trip on he horizon but first hope to finish a four-game homestand all even after dropping the first two games and then topping Charlotte 119-103 on Sunday. Kyrie Irving scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting as Boston snapped a three-game slide.
TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE 76ERS (22-12): Center Joel Embiid recorded three straight double-doubles and five in his last six games after producing 27 points and 11 rebounds in the win over the Raptors, and the star big man is looking forward to the spotlight of the holiday affair. "It's exciting to play on Christmas. It is a showcase day for our league. It is an honor," Embiid told reporters. "I am not going to go into the rest of my thoughts on playing on Christmas, but it is an honor. You want to play at your best and they are the team that knocked us out of the playoffs this year so we know we have to be at our best to play them." The 24-year-old had 25 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots in a Christmas Day win at Madison Square Garden last year.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (19-13): The end of Boston's losing streak occurred in Al Horford's return from a knee injury, and its was not seen as a coincidence. "You take a lot of comfort in having him out on the floor," coach Brad Stevens told reporters of Horford, who made all four of his shots and had a plus-19 rating in his 19 minutes after missing the previous seven games. "There's no question about that." Boston also got power forward Marcus Morris back from a two-game layoff and the veteran finished with 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds in 20 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Celtics fell 111-103 to Washington on Christmas last season in the first home game on the holiday in franchise history.
2. Sixers SG JJ Redick made 4-of-5 3-pointers in the win over the Raptors after going 13-for-49 over his previous seven games.
3. Irving averages 23.9 points on 52.9 percent shooting -- 46.1 percent from 3-point range -- at home.
PREDICTION: Celtics 111, 76ers 107
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Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors Preview and Predictions 2018-12-25
NBA PREDICTIONS 24TH DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE
The Golden State Warriors have gotten used to playing against Lebron James on Christmas Day, but this time he'll be in a different uniform. The Warriors will try to get the better of James for the second straight time on Christmas when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
Golden State faced James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the last four NBA Finals but will be seeing him for the first time in a Lakers uniform during the regular season on Tuesday. "I really don't give a damn about him being in a Laker uniform," Warriors forward Draymond Green told reporters. "That really doesn't matter to me. That is the team he is on and that is who we face. It obviously is going to be a tough challenge, they are playing well." James and Los Angeles dropped four of their last six and are coming off a 107-99 loss to Memphis as they try to build a team that can compete with the Warriors in the West. "We can't measure ourselves versus them," James told reporters of Golden State. "That's a team that's won three out of four championships, the last four years. You can't measure yourself versus them."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE LAKERS (19-14): Los Angeles is trying to build a championship roster around James and is looking for consistent effort out of the role players on both ends of the floor. "We lost because we stopped playing defense," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters after the loss to the Grizzlies. "They scored 35 (points in the fourth quarter) and we went under on (Mike) Conley on a three and we switched out to Conley and we weren't up to the level of the three. So, it's things that we know better and we can control that cost us and caused us to lose that game." James recorded team highs of 22 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the setback and is averaging 27.6 points, 8.2 boards and 7.2 assists.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (23-11): Golden State remains the team to beat in the West and knocked off another team from Los Angeles at home with a 129-127 win over the Clippers on Sunday, led by 42 points from superstar Stephen Curry and 35 from fellow former MVP Kevin Durant. "It's incredible to play with those guys," Green told reporters of Curry and Durant. "I try to be a leader out there and a coach on the floor. When I have to call a play it's very easy, give the ball to one of them two and let them do what they do on a nightly basis. They are a big part of the reason we've had the success we've had." Curry and Durant are averaging a combined 58.2 points and 11.3 assists.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lakers Cs Tyson Chandler (back) and JaVale McGee (illness) both sat out Sunday and are questionable for Tuesday.
2. Warriors SG Klay Thompson is 7-of-36 from 3-point range over the last six games.
3. Golden State took the last seven in the series.
PREDICTION: Warriors 121, Lakers 118
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Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz Preview and Predictions 2018-12-25
NBA PREDICTIONS 24TH DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE
The Utah Jazz just handed the Portland Trail Blazers their worst home loss since 2004. Portland will look to avenge that 30-point setback when it visits the Jazz on Christmas night in Salt Lake City.
Utah put together a dominating effort in pounding the Trail Blazers 120-90 on Friday as it knocked down 16-of-31 3-point attempts. Point guard Ricky Rubio hit all four of his 3-point attempts while contributing 24 points and eight assists and he followed up that performance with 12 points and a season-best 14 assists in Friday's 107-106 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The debacle against the Jazz is Portland's lone loss in the past five games and the Trail Blazers rebounded with a 121-118 overtime win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. "I think as long as we avenge ourselves for what happened the other night, we'll be fine," Portland swingman Evan Turner told reporters in reference to the rematch with Utah.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (19-14): Star point guard Damian Lillard scored 33 points in the win over Dallas to mark the 12th time this season that he scored 30 or more points. Lillard was limited to 19 points on Friday against the Jazz, his lowest output while averaging 27.8 points over the past five games. Shooting guard CJ McCollum had 22 points against the Mavericks for his 16th 20-point effort of the season and he also moved into fifth place in franchise history with 718 career 3-pointers, passing Damon Stoudamire (717 from 1998-2005).
ABOUT THE JAZZ (16-18): Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points against Oklahoma City and his 7-of-17 shooting effort halted a stretch of four straight games of being below 40 percent. He was especially frigid in the victory over Portland, when he scored a season-low three points on 1-of-10 shooting two nights after being 5-of-26 in a victory over the Golden State Warriors. Mitchell scored 20 or more points on 18 occasions and his 20.2 average is slightly below the 20.5 figure from last season, when he was runner-up to Philadelphia guard Ben Simmons in the Rookie of the Year balloting.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Jazz F Jae Crowder made four 3-pointers and scored 16 points in Friday's win over the Trail Blazers.
2. Terry Stotts, who became Portland's coach in 2012, is tied with Rick Adelman (1989-94) for second place on the franchise's all-time victories list with 291.
3. Utah C Rudy Gobert posted four straight double-doubles and has 28 overall.
PREDICTION: Jazz 112, Trail Blazers 108
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NBA
Long Sheet
Tuesday, December 25
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MILWAUKEE (22 - 10) at NEW YORK (9 - 25) - 12/25/2018, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 76-52 ATS (+18.8 Units) in road games on Tuesday nights since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 137-104 ATS (+22.6 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 49-30 ATS (+16.0 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 6-3 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 7-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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OKLAHOMA CITY (21 - 11) at HOUSTON (17 - 15) - 12/25/2018, 3:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-6 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 8-5 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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PHILADELPHIA (22 - 12) at BOSTON (19 - 13) - 12/25/2018, 5:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 76-53 ATS (+17.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 50-37 ATS (+9.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 50-33 ATS (+13.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 118-89 ATS (+20.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 67-49 ATS (+13.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 69-46 ATS (+18.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 58-33 ATS (+21.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 8-6 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 11-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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LA LAKERS (19 - 14) at GOLDEN STATE (23 - 11) - 12/25/2018, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 59-75 ATS (-23.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 1-13 ATS (-13.3 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-46 ATS (-18.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 4-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 7-1 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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PORTLAND (19 - 14) at UTAH (16 - 18) - 12/25/2018, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 5-4 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 5-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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NBA
Tuesday, December 25
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Trend Report
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Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 10 games
Milwaukee is 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 games on the road
Milwaukee is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games on the road
Milwaukee is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing New York
Milwaukee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing New York
Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Milwaukee's last 14 games when playing on the road against New York
New York Knicks
New York is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games
New York is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 7 games
New York is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
New York is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
New York is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of New York's last 14 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Oklahoma City's last 24 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Oklahoma City is 6-12-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Houston
Oklahoma City is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Houston
Oklahoma City is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Oklahoma City is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston Rockets
Houston is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 10 games
Houston is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games at home
Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Houston is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Houston is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Philadelphia is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games
Philadelphia is 5-13 ATS in its last 18 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Philadelphia's last 22 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Boston
Philadelphia is 3-19 SU in its last 22 games when playing Boston
Philadelphia is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Philadelphia is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 13 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Celtics
Boston is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games
Boston is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games
Boston is 18-7 ATS in its last 25 games at home
Boston is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games at home
Boston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Boston is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games when playing Philadelphia
Boston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Boston's last 13 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Los Angeles Lakers
LA Lakers is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
LA Lakers is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
LA Lakers is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of LA Lakers's last 18 games
LA Lakers is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
LA Lakers is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 6 games on the road
LA Lakers is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of LA Lakers's last 12 games when playing Golden State
LA Lakers is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Golden State
LA Lakers is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Golden State's last 12 games when playing LA Lakers
Golden State is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 10 games
Portland is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Portland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Portland's last 8 games when playing Utah
Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Utah
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Utah
Utah Jazz
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games
Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Utah is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Utah's last 8 games when playing Portland
Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Portland
Utah is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Portland
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