This Christmas will not be like any other for the NBA and its funny that most of us didn’t see the changes coming. Well, wondering what the hype is for? this year during Christmas, NBA plans to have an all-day marathon that will feature five games.
Several of the games could also feature playoff previews, though this has not been ascertained. However, due to injuries, several games have been fizzled out. Golden State is still struggling without its best player Steph Curry, who broke his arm about 2 months ago.
This means Houston is an 11-point favorite against them. According to a news article appearing in the casino.org, New Orleans is also going through the same ordeal. During the preseason action, one of its best players, Zion Williamson severely hurt his knee and has been on the bench ever since. Consequently, the host Nuggets have 9.5-point in favor of the Pelicans.
Even with those two teams out, the remainder of the games still has a lot of excitement to offer. The best four teams of this year’s NBA are expected to battle it out. In the East, Milwaukee Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, is expected to go face to face with Joel Embiid and Philadelphia 76ers.
In Los Angeles, the Lakers led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis will battle it out with the Clippers, who will be having Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in their team. The Lakers have lost three consecutive games this season alone. This is was not expected, owing to the fact the team had had a thorough preparation, according to sources. However, despite the loss, they are still ahead of the Clippers by 3 games. The game is set for 8 pm ET.
Even as the Lakers come for the game, they are not at their strongest. It is rumored that both James and Davis have knee injuries, which could interfere with their performance at the Christmas game. Despite this, the Lakers have high hopes for the game.
Their coach, Frank Vogel, told reporters that it is best that they do not let the losing streak become their norm. Oddsmakers are placing the Lakers as their favorite. William Hill and DraftKings have placed them at 2-point odds while FanDuel has them at 2.5-points. However, the gamblers are placing their money on the Clippers. 66 percent of the bettors have placed their money on the Clippers.
Boston Celtics battle against Toronto Raptors will kick off the NBA Christmas marathon at Noon ET. This game together with the New Orleans game against Denver, taking place at 10:30 pm ET, will the aired live on ESPN.
All the other games will be live on ABC. William Hill and DraftKings place the Celtics at 3-point odds while FanDuel places them at 3.5-point odds. The bucks have the best record in the NBA at 27-4. As they head to Philly, DraftKings and William Hill place them at a 3-point favorite. Similarly, FanDuel places Milwaukee at 2.5-point odds.
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