The Dallas Mavericks are tied for third in the Western Conference and lead Houston in the Southwest Division by a half-game, but the whole Dallas fan base is nervous after star Luka Doncic rolled his ankle in the team’s overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Saturday. Doncic is only expected to miss a couple of weeks, but this comes at a crucial time for the Mavericks as they head out on an Eastern Conference swing, starting in Milwaukee. The Lakers lead the West, riding a seven-game winning streak to a 24-3 record. In the Eastern Conference, the Bucks continue their amazing run, winners of 18 in a row and owners of a 24-3 record. The coldest teams in the East are the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks, losers of four in a row. We have a pair of primo NBA betting picks for enthusiasts looking to profit off action from the Association.
Top NBA Betting Picks of the Week – December 16th Edition
Derrick Rose has become an effective closer for the Detroit Pistons. He’s also a big reason why they’re moving up @MarkSchanowski‘s NBA Power Rankings:https://t.co/LvcdGWmtnU
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) December 16, 2019
Monday, December 16th
Dallas at Milwaukee (8:00 pm ET, NBA TV)
Dallas had split their last two games (losing to Sacramento and then beating Detroit) before losing to Miami in overtime on Saturday, and that split had Luka Doncic still on the floor for the Mavericks. While Dallas leads the Southwest Division, their defense remains a work in progress. Doncic has noted that his own defense is not stellar, and the rest of the team struggles to make stops as well. Even so, the Mavericks came back from 24 down to hold a brief lead in the last minute of regulation against Miami, but Dallas would lose by four after the extra frame. J.J. Barea scored a dozen points in 13 minutes. Tim Hardaway Jr. put up 28 points, 18 in the second half, and Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 14 boards. However, he missed two key shots in overtime and allowed an offensive board after a missed free throw in overtime. Can Dallas regroup to take on the league’s hottest team?
Milwaukee comes in as 11-point favorites. They won in Memphis by 13 on Friday and then beat Cleveland at home by 17 on Saturday. In that win over the Cavaliers, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 29 points, along with four rebounds and four assists. Khris Middleton added 24 points and six assists, posting a +21 rating for the night, and Donte DiVincenzo scored 15. Three Milwaukee reserves also hit double figures. The Bucks should feast on the gaps in the Dallas defense, but I’m not sure that Milwaukee covers, even with Luka out for Dallas.
NBA Betting Prediction: Milwaukee 114, Dallas 107
Tuesday, December 17th
Phoenix at L.A. Clippers (10:30 pm ET, NBA TV)
The Phoenix Suns head to face the Clippers on Tuesday after losing at home to Memphis on Wednesday and then falling to San Antonio in Mexico City on Saturday. They host Portland on Monday before going to the Staples Center for the second night of a back-to-back. In their loss to San Antonio, the game went to overtime (the fourth consecutive game with an extra frame for the Spurs). Patty Mills hit the clincher for San Antonio with 0.3 seconds remaining in overtime. Phoenix played without star guard Devin Booker (forearm soreness), who remains day to day — so check the injury reports before locking in your wager. Ricky Rubio led Phoenix with 25 points and 13 assists. Frank Kaminsky scored 22 points, and Andre Oubre added 17.
The Clippers had won four in a row on their road swing before losing in Chicago, 109-106, on Saturday. Los Angeles had beaten Washington, Indiana, Toronto and Minnesota before falling to the Bulls. The Clippers led this game by five points with under two minutes remaining in regulation, but then Chicago tied the game at 106. Zach LaVine converted a three-point play with two seconds left, and then Paul George missed a three-ball as time expired. Montrezl Harrell had 30 points, and George put up 27, but Kawhi Leonard (injury management), Lou Williams (calf), Patrick Beverley (concussion) and JaMychal Green (tailbone) were all on the shelf. With some rest, the Clippers should have a more complete team for their meeting with the Suns.
NBA Betting Prediction: Los Angeles 118, Phoenix 106
