New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks. Prediction, Odds
- Pick: Bucks -5.5
- Odds: +121 (Tonybet)
The New York Knicks host the Milwaukee Bucks in Madison Square Garden this Christmas in what should be another tough game for the Big Apple’s squad. Even with the hype of a home game on Christmas Day, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle just aren’t enough to break the Bucks.
Ball movement and a boogie. pic.twitter.com/SSB6oDf0uh
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 22, 2023
Unless Brunson shoots lights out, Randle will likely get smothered by the two big men, effectively leaving both of them on an island. While Randle has definitely improved his shot forcing, his tendency to force shots and play “hero” ball late in the shot clock needs some work.
That’s Big 3️⃣0️⃣
Vote Julius Randle #NBAAllStar | https://t.co/V5Ker6t9sj pic.twitter.com/EdgKfQ96OH
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 21, 2023
On Milwaukee’s side of things, they’ve been simply on fire, with the inside-outside game provided by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard proving too much for the league, and the Knicks are no different.
Giannis is going to have a field day in transition, as he always does, but he should also easily be able to bully the smaller roster down low. While this is going on, expect the rest of the team to take advantage of the gravity Giannis creates, especially Dame.
The only edge the Knicks may have is with RJ Barrett, as Khris Middleton has continued his lacklustre play over the last couple of games. But even then, the young Canadian guard will likely struggle to make it to the bucket, especially with Lopez averaging 3.1 blocks this year.
Unfortunately for Knicks fans, they simply don’t have the personnel or momentum to win this Christmas Day game.
With Dame’s excellent shooting and the Knick’s lack of an answer inside for Giannis, they should have no problem covering a spread of 6.5 points.
Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors. Prediction and Betting Tip
- Pick: Nuggets -3.5
- Odds: -149 (Tonybet)
The Denver Nuggets face off against the slightly improved Golden State Warriors on Christmas, and it should be one of the day’s better games. Unlike earlier in the month, a few of Golden State’s supporting cast have finally decided to start playing some real basketball.
In specific, Klay Thompson has really upped his play over the last several games, going from a sub-20 PPG scorer to 25+. And as long as Stephen Curry has his secondary option, Golden State really isn’t in too bad of a spot.
Denver, on the other hand, has continued its excellent play behind their star Nikola Jokić. With Jokić at the helm, averaging 9.3 assists, the entire roster has been playing some smart and efficient basketball.
The only real issue Denver is facing right now is an Aaron Gordon injury, but he is a roleplayer at the end of the day.
Nonetheless, Denver should be able to take home the Christmas Day dub, leading by the fourth quarter. Even with Thompson and Curry’s play, the rest of the Golden State roster hasn’t been too great and will struggle to keep up with the reigning champs.
Andrew Wiggins, for example, continues to have an atrocious -121 +- score coming off the bench, while Kevon Looney and Draymond Green sit at -60 and -49, respectively.
Simply put, Klay and Curry are carrying the team as of now, and unless they both have a stand-out showing like against Boston, Denver’s depth should take it home.
Klay Thompson has scored 24+ points and knocked down 4+ threes in each of the last four games.
He’s one of only four players in the NBA this season to have such a streak ⚡️
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 20, 2023
You can expect a competitive game for the first three quarters before Jokić likely takes control of the dominant Jonathan Kuminga down low. When all is said and done, the Denver Nuggets should be able to cover a spread of -3.5 without too much sweat unless Golden State shoots lights-out.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics. Prediction and Betting Tip
- Pick: Celtics -5.5
- Odds: +150 (Tonybet)
From Larry Bird and Magic Johnson to Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have a competitive rivalry almost as old as the league. However, this year, it seems like the Celtics may just have the upper hand and will likely come away with the game.
Aside from their nail-biting loss to Golden State earlier in the month, the Celtics have been on a tear, winning eight of their last 10 games. With Jayson Tatum leading the charge, the entire Celtics roster just seems “relaxed,” for lack of a better word, taking smart shots using the gravity Tatum creates.
However, it’s not just Tatum – Kristaps Porziņģis, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday have all been putting in solid minutes and winning games.
The Lakers haven’t been having as much luck as their Eastern Conference counterpart, losing a string of games before coming into Christmas.
While LeBron James and Anthony Davis both continue to play strong, they simply have no real supporting cast. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves are both decent, but neither player has any business on a real contending team.
Head-to-head, the Celtics match up incredibly well with the Lakers. Jayson Tatum will likely mark LeBron, with Kristaps Porziņģis holding down the inside against Davis. This gives Holiday and Brown free rein to manhandle the rest of the Lakers squad, at least on the defensive side of the ball.
The Celtics should be able to pull away pretty early on and hold a lead with their overall better roster. Whether you look at the offensive or defensive side of the ball, the 10th-place Lakers have no shot against the Celtics.
elite company 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Tbw5kfOKGA
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 21, 2023
Covering a spread of -5.5 points may seem pretty steep, but with Boston’s overwhelming defence and offence, it’s quite likely.
Disclaimer: Odds are accurate at the time of posting and subject to change. Please verify the latest odds on our platform before betting.
