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**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:38 AM

NBA Betting Tips: Christmas Day In The NBA
By Marc Lawrence
Playbook.com

'Twas an NBA day of Christmas when all through the sport, fans are stirring with no less than five games to sort.

Like Miley Cyrus the league speaks not a word and goes straight to work, looking to stuff their stockings while trying not to twerk.

With presents delivered under the Christmas tree, here's my gift to you, for all to see.

With the Bulls and Nets taking off in flight, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Christmases past

Here is a breakdown of the 10 teams playing on Christmas this season and how they’ve performed on Dec. 25 since 1990:

• Brooklyn (New Jersey): 1-1 SU and 1-1 ATS and 1-1 O/U
Trending: 0-1 ATS last year

• Chicago: 7-2 SU and 5-4 ATS and 3-6 O/U
Trending: 0-3 ATS last three games

• Golden State: 1-1 SU and 1-1 ATS and 1-1 O/U
Trending: 0-1 ATS last year

• Houston: 2-3 SU and 4-1 ATS and 2-1-2 O/U
Trending: 4-0 ATS last four games

• L.A. Clippers: 2-3 SU and 2-3 ATS and 2-3 O/U
Trending: 2-0 ATS last two games

• L.A. Lakers: 7-9 SU and 9-6-1 ATS and 5-10-1 O/U
Trending: 4-0 ATS last four as a dog

• Miami: 7-2 SU and 5-4 ATS and 2-7 O/U
Trending: 1-6 UNDER last seven games

• New York: 3-5 SU and 2-6 ATS and 4-4 O/U
Trending: 0-4 ATS last four as a dog

• Oklahoma City: 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS and 1-4 O/U
Trending: visitor 0-5 ATS Thunder/Xmas games

• San Antonio: 3-2 SU and 3-1-1 ATS and 1-4 O/U
Trending: 3-0-1 ATS vs. Western Conference foes

What have you done for me lately?

Noteworthy team trends wrapped inside each Christmas Day game…

• Bulls: 1-8 SU and 3-6 ATS away Wednesdays / 3-12 ATS last fifteen games in December

• Nets: playoff revenge from last season / 0-5 SUATS Wednesdays this season

• Thunder: 13-6 ATS away December / 2-5 SUATS away Wednesdays

• Knicks: 14-3 SU and 12-5 ATS home Wednesdays

• Heat: 18-2 SU on Wednesdays / 4-9 ATS December

• Lakers: 1-9 ATS last 10 games in this series / 7-13 ATS home December

• Rockets: 11-6 ATS last seventeen games here

• Spurs: 18-2 SU December / 0-4 ATS home Wednesdays

• Clippers: 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS Wednesdays / 15-4 SU away December

• Warriors: 8-3 ATS last eleven games in this series

Defending champion doldrums

Christmas day has not been a gifting experience for NBA’s defending champions.

That’s confirmed by their lousy 0-5 SU and ATS mark since 2000 when facing an opponent playing with one day-exact rest.

The Lakers hope to add to that number when they host the Heat at the Staples Center.

Under the Christmas Tree

Non-conference games certainly bring the best defensive effort out in teams on Christmas Day.

Thirteen of the 16 games played on Dec. 25 since 1991 involving Eastern and Western Conference foes have played under the total.

Six of the seven games involving a team off loss have stayed under the total.

The gift that keeps on giving

The L. A. Lakers are 17-1 SU at home during December.

**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:38 AM

Christmas Day Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Bulls at Nets

Chicago: 10-16 SU, 9-17 ATS
Brooklyn: 9-18 SU, 11-16 ATS

A beat-up Bulls' squad went into Barclays Center last May and knocked the Nets out of the first round of the playoffs in seven games. Now, the two struggling teams meet for the first time since then, as each club tries to jump-start their season heading into the New Year.

Chicago snapped a four-game skid in Saturday's home blowout of Cleveland, 100-84 to easily cash as three-point favorites. The Bulls covered as a favorite for the first time in 11 tries, as all five starters scored in double-figures, while Chicago busted the 100-point plateau for the first time since December 7 (a span of nine games). Tom Thibodeau's team has dropped eight of their past 10 games away from the United Center, including five losses by double-digits.

The Nets started to turn things around earlier this month by winning four of five games following a 30-point home blowout at the hands of the Knicks, but Brooklyn has dropped three consecutive contests. The latest setback for Jason Kidd's club came in Monday's 103-86 defeat to red-hot Indiana, the second loss to the Pacers at Barclays Center this season. Brooklyn has cashed just three of the past 11 home contests, including 2-4 ATS when laying points.

The Bulls have won six of the last nine meetings with the Nets, while covering five times in this span. The last four matchups have finished 'over' the total, but all four of those games saw totals of 183½ or below.

Thunder at Knicks

Oklahoma City: 22-5 SU, 15-12 ATS
New York: 9-18 SU, 10-17 ATS

The Thunder saw its nine-game winning streak crash on Sunday night in a 104-98 home defeat to the Raptors. Oklahoma City failed to score 100 points for the first time in 12 games, as the Thunder hits the road for a mini-two game road trip to New York and Charlotte. Scott Brooks' club started the season at 0-3 ATS, but owns a 7-2 ATS record the last nine games off a non-cover. OKC has performed well on the road against Eastern Conference foes, posting a 4-0 SU/ATS mark, winning each game by at least nine points.

The Knicks are a beat-up squad right now, as Raymond Felton suffered a hamstring injury in Monday's victory at Orlando, keeping the point guard out for Wednesday's contest. Also, Carmelo Anthony sprained his ankle against the Magic, as the Knicks' leading scorer is listed as questionable, while not missing a game yet this season. New York held off Orlando on Monday, 103-98 to cash as 1 ½-point road favorites, but the Knicks have compiled a dreadful 1-8 ATS record off a cover.

In Oklahoma City's last visit to Madison Square Garden, Anthony sat out due to injury, as the Thunder escaped past the Knicks, 95-94 as eight-point road favorites. J.R. Smith put up 36 points off the bench for New York, while Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined to shoot 17-of-42 from the field. OKC has won six of the last eight meetings with New York, while the Knicks have covered each of the past four home matchups in the series.

Heat at Lakers

Miami: 21-6 SU, 13-14 ATS
Los Angeles: 13-15 SU, 15-12-1 ATS

This matchup used to be the highlight contest on Christmas Day, but the loss of Kobe Bryant to a knee injury has watered down this Lakers' squad. Miami finished off a perfect 5-0 homestand with Monday's comeback overtime triumph over Atlanta, 121-119, but the Heat didn't take the money as 7½-point favorites. Dwyane Wade missed his seventh game of the season due to knee soreness, as LeBron James took over with 38 points and eight rebounds to give Miami its 14th home win in 16 tries.

The Lakers are coming off consecutive road blowout losses at Golden State and Phoenix, but Los Angeles has put together a 6-2 ATS record as a home underdog this season. Mike D'Antoni's team is riding a four-game 'under' streak, while the Lakers have won two of three home contests against Eastern Conference foes. Los Angeles has fared well off consecutive losses this season, winning four of five times, including two of those victories at Staples Center.

The Heat has won six of the last seven meetings with the Lakers, while Miami is facing Los Angeles on Christmas for the first time since 2010. Five of the past six matchups have finished 'under' the total, while the Heat is 2-1 SU/ATS at Staples Center since the Big Three formed in 2010.

**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:38 AM

Clippers at Warriors: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (-2.5, 205)

The Golden State Warriors briefly looked like a legitimate challenger to the Los Angeles Clippers atop the Pacific Division before a hot start cooled off. The Warriors will try to get back into the race when they host the Clippers on Wednesday night. Los Angeles is riding a five-game winning streak and is averaging 113.6 points in that span behind Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Golden State is built similarly to the Clippers, with Stephen Curry and David Lee playing the Paul-Griffin part and Andrew Bogut matching Jordan as a rebounding and defensive force in the middle. Griffin and Jordan combined for 27 rebounds in a 120-116 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday while Paul put up his customary double-double with 19 points and 13 assists. Lee, who led the league in double-doubles with 56 last season, posted his ninth straight with 28 points and 10 boards in Monday’s 89-81 win at Denver.

LINE: The Warriors opened as 2-point faves and are now at -2.5. The total hasn't moved from 205.

POWER RANKINGS: Los Angeles (-11) - Golden State (-9.5) + home court (-3) = Golden State -1.5

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (20-9, 17-12 ATS): Doc Rivers had a few things to fix when he took over as head coach of Los Angeles in the summer - installing a consistent defense and a never-say-die attitude were two of the things at the top of the list. The Clippers came back from five points down in the final 26 seconds to force overtime on Sunday, proving Rivers’ message to the team. “We didn’t give up,” Griffin said. “Every single time we came through at the end of the game and in overtime. (Rivers) kept stressing, everybody on the bench was saying, ‘We have time to win this game.’ I think everybody just believed and we got it done.”

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (16-13, 13-14-2 ATS): Golden State has not put together three straight wins since taking four in a row to improve to 8-3 on Nov. 18. Things got a little rocky from there but the Warriors crushed the Lakers 102-83 on Saturday and pulled out a tough victory at Denver on Monday as Andre Iguodala began to look a bit like his old self. Golden State’s rocky stretch coincided with Iguodala’s 12-game absence due to a hamstring injury, and the veteran swingman had his most productive outing in four games since returning with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting and six rebounds in 31 minutes on Monday. Iguodala also improves the team defensively, and the Warriors have held each of their last two opponents under 40 percent from the field.

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-0 in the last six meetings.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Golden State.
* Clippers are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings in Golden State.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Griffin was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday after putting up 26 points and 11.3 rebounds in four games.

2. Lee and Bogut are the first pair of teammates to each record 10 or more rebounds in nine straight games since Charles Barkley and Moses Malone in 1986 for the Philadelphia 76ers.

3. Paul went for 42 points and 15 assists as Los Angeles cruised to a 125-116 home win in the last meeting on Oct. 31

**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:39 AM

Rockets at Spurs: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (-7, 209)

The Houston Rockets hope to have star guard James Harden available when they visit the powerful San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. Harden has missed back-to-back games with a sprained ankle and is waiting on the swelling to further subside but indicated to reporters that he hopes to be medically cleared to play against the Spurs. “I will keep icing it and getting treatment and hopefully be ready for Christmas Day,” Harden said.

San Antonio has the fourth-best record in the NBA but one of its six defeats was against the Rockets – a 112-106 home loss on Nov. 30. The Spurs dug themselves a 23-point hole but were unable to recover despite 27 points from Tony Parker. The standout point guard has put together consecutive strong outings since returning from a shin injury and is averaging 24.5 points and eight assists during the stretch after tallying 26 points in Monday’s victory over the Toronto Raptors.

LINE: The Spurs have held steady as 7-point home faves. The total has gone down to 209 from 210.

POWER RANKINGS: Houston (-10.5) - San Antonio (-13.8) + home court (-3) = San Antonio -6.3

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (18-11, 15-13-1 ATS): Center Dwight Howard will again be asked to do yeoman work inside if Harden is unable to play. He is averaging 32 points and on 23-of-34 shooting in the two contests and scored 20 or more points in six of the past nine games. Howard is averaging 18.7 points and 13.3 rebounds but has often acquiesced to the Harden on the offensive end and focused more on his rebounding and defensive prowess. He also doesn’t want to hear anything about Houston being shorthanded. “We can’t use that as an excuse,” Howard said after Monday’s loss to Dallas. “It is five-on-five so we’re not going to make that excuse.”

ABOUT THE SPURS (22-6, 15-13 ATS): Struggling Danny Green didn’t start against Toronto but rediscovered his shooting stroke while playing 24 minutes off the bench. Green hit 4-of-6 3-pointers and scored 14 points against the Raptors to match his top scoring output since Nov. 23. The guard had failed to reach double digits in 11 of 14 games before his solid contributions against Toronto. “I didn’t bench him because he wasn’t making shots,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said afterward. “You don’t bench people because they’re not making shots. We changed the look and changed the rotation a little bit. It could change again.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 16-7 in the last 23 meetings in San Antonio.
* Underdog is 13-6 ATS in the last 19 meetings.
* Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a SU loss.
* Over is 21-5 in the Spurs last 26 home games.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Houston has won two straight meetings after San Antonio won the previous four.

2. Spurs SG Marco Belinelli is second in the NBA with 51.1 percent accuracy from 3-point range.

3. Rockets PG Patrick Beverley will be out 4-to-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on his right hand.

**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:39 AM

Heat at Lakers: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers (+8.5, 207)

Two of the holiday season's most popular attractions do battle Christmas Day as the two-time defending-champion Miami Heat take on the decidedly less star-studded Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Miami comes into the Wednesday evening showdown having escaped with a 121-119 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks two nights earlier. The Lakers find themselves scrambling to get back to the .500 mark after getting walloped 117-90 by Phoenix.

The matchup was undoubtedly put together with an eye toward Miami's Big Three, led by perennial MVP candidate LeBron James, tangling with Los Angeles' talented trio of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol. But Bryant is out until February with a stress fracture in his knee while Nash continues to miss time with a nerve root irritation. Gasol has been the only reliable option in the struggling Lakers' starting five and faces a tall task against the powerhouse Heat.

LINE: The Lakers are 8.5 point home dogs and opening at +8. The total moved from 206.5 to 207.

POWER RANKINGS: Miami (-14.5) - Los Angeles (-5) + home court (-3) = Miami -6.5

ABOUT THE HEAT (21-6, 13-14 ATS): Miami realized early in the season that it would need to regulate its star players' minutes in order to ensure they stay healthy heading into what is hopefully another long playoff run. The Heat employed part of that strategy Monday against the Hawks, giving veteran guard Dwyane Wade the night off to deal what the team called "soreness." It was curious timing - Wade is the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week - but head coach Eric Spoelstra wanted Wade at his best heading into the game against the Lakers.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (13-15, 15-12-1 ATS): Los Angeles wishes its problems could be solved by a little extra rest. The season is quickly spiraling out of control and hit a new low against the up-tempo Suns as the Lakers shot just 37 percent from the field while getting outrebounded by an absurd 62-39 margin. Gasol returned to the lineup against Phoenix after missing the previous game with an upper respiratory infection but looked overmatched against Suns big man Mason Plumlee, who racked up 17 points and 20 rebounds in the one-sided win.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Heat are 4-1 ATS in the last five meeting in Los Angeles.
* Underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The teams last met Feb. 10, with the Heat rolling to a 107-97 triumph behind 32 points from James.

2. Wade averages 25 points and 6.5 assists in 19 career regular-season games versus Los Angeles.

3. Miami is 7-2 in Christmas Day games since coming into the league, while the Lakers are 6-8 since 1990.

**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:39 AM

Thunder at Knicks: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks (+8.5, 200)

The last time Oklahoma City had a long winning streak snap, it answered with an even longer one. The Thunder will try to come back strong again when they hit the road for a Christmas Day contest with the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Oklahoma City has won 17 of its last 19 but had its nine-game winning streak end with a 104-98 home loss to Toronto on Sunday.

The Knicks held on for a 103-98 win at Orlando on Monday but it came at a cost, as star Carmelo Anthony (ankle) and point guard Raymond Felton (groin) left with injuries. Felton's injury came in his first game back after missing six contests with a strained hamstring. "I'm concerned (about Anthony) but I'm not as worried about him as I'm worried about Ray, the way he came back and then to go down again," reserve guard J.R. Smith told reporters. "It's tough. He's our point guard, for sure." The Knicks are 0-8 against Western Conference teams including an 0-5 mark at home, while the Thunder are 7-1 against the Eastern Conference.

LINE: The Thunder opened as 8-point road faves and now sit at -8.5. The total has stayed put at 200.

POWER RANKINGS: Oklahoma City (-14) - New York (-3) + home court (-3) = Oklahoma City -8

ABOUT THE THUNDER (22-5, 15-12 ATS): Oklahoma City finished with more turnovers (19) than assists (17) and faded in the fourth quarter against the Raptors, perhaps a result of playing the second game of a back-to-back after a big win at San Antonio. That's far from the norm for a team that boasts two dominant players in Kevin Durant (28.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists) and Russell Westbrook (21.6 points, 6.8 assists, 5.7 rebounds) and a developing supporting cast. Getting to the foul line is pivotal to the Thunder's success, as they lead the NBA at 82.6 percent from the line.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-18, 10-17 ATS): The mounting injuries already were a concern for New York with reserve guard Pablo Prigioni (broken toe) and forward Kenyon Martin (abdominal strain) out for prolonged periods and forward Metta World Peace (knee) having missed the past two games. Losing Anthony (26.3 points, 8.8 rebounds) for any amount of time would be crushing, as he has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in every game. Felton (10.5 points, 5.1 assists) also would be a big loss for an already thin backcourt, and the Knicks will need Smith (11.5 points) to step up his production if either player misses more time.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Home team is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Thunder are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Thunder are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings in New York.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Oklahoma City is 17-2 when outrebounding its opponent.

2. The Knicks have been outscored by 66 points in the paint over their last four games.

3. The Thunder have won 51 of 53 games since the start of last season when holding the opposition to 42 percent or lower from the field.

**TheGame** · 12-25-2013, 09:39 AM

Bulls at Nets: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com

Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets (-2.5, 187.5)

The NBA’s schedule-makers likely had a battle of Eastern Conference powers in mind when the Chicago Bulls and the host Brooklyn Nets were selected for the league’s Christmas slate, but that's far from the case when the teams meet Wednesday to begin the annual holiday showcase. The Bulls have won just twice in the past nine games and will be looking for their first winning streak in more than a month. The Nets, meanwhile, have lost three in a row, including Monday's 103-86 loss to Indiana.

Of course, injuries are a big reason why both teams have not lived up to their lofty expectations. Chicago is 4-12 since 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose suffered his second major knee injury in as many seasons on Nov. 22. Brooklyn has had to shuffle its rotation throughout the season, but the big blow came late last week when leading scorer Brook Lopez was ruled out for the season with a broken right foot.

LINE: The Nets opened as 3-point faves and now sit at -2.5. The total has gone down slightly from 188 to 187.5.

POWER RANKINGS: Chicago (-4) - Brooklyn (-3.6) + home court (-3) = Brooklyn -3.4

ABOUT THE BULLS (10-16, 9-17 ATS): Rose is far from the only player missing from coach Tom Thibodeau’s ideal rotation. Kirk Hinrich (back stiffness), Luol Deng (Achilles) and Jimmy Butler (ankle) all sat out Chicago’s 100-84 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, and the trio's status for Wednesday’s game remains up in the air. "It's just one of those seasons,” Deng said of the rash of injuries. “I think we just got to hang in there. … We know what we're capable of when everybody's healthy.”

ABOUT THE NETS (9-18, 11-16 ATS): After a very rocky start to the season, Brooklyn appeared to be turning a corner earlier this month with four wins in five games, but the current skid and Lopez’s injury have chased away any positive vibes. "I think it's getting very close to just accepting losing," coach Jason Kidd said after the loss to the Pacers. The Nets did receive a bit of good news when reserve guard Jason Terry returned to action Monday after missing the previous 15 games with a knee injury, scoring 11 points.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Bulls are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Brooklyn.
* Over is is 14-5 in the last 19 meetings in Brooklyn.
* Road team in 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. This is the fourth year in a row the Bulls are playing on Christmas, and Chicago is 1-2 in the previous three games.

2. Brooklyn is hosting a Christmas game for the second straight season after losing 93-76 to the Boston Celtics — featuring current Nets Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Terry — last year.

3. Bulls G D.J. Augustin, acquired from Toronto earlier this month, is averaging 13.8 points and eight assists in 37.5 minutes over the past four games.

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