The NBA returns from the All-Star break this Tuesday night, with nine games on the card! Check out our preview and betting tips for the key games below.
NBA Thursday Picks
Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, 7:00pm (ET)
One of the elite matchups on Thursday night is the Nuggets at Cavaliers at 7pm ET. The Nuggets won their only other clash this season on January 6th in Denver.
The Nuggets will be looking to improve their road record in the second portion of the season. They’re 14-14 on their travels this season which is a far cry from their impeccable 27-4 home record. A big reason for their success this season and why they’re currently #1 in the West is the play of Nikola Jokic. The back-to-back MVP is averaging a triple-double and is odds-on to make it three straight MVP awards.
The Cavaliers will be hoping they All-Star break doesn’t halt the momentum they’d built in the weeks leading up to it. They are winners of eight of their last 10 games and are now only five games behind the Celtics for #1 in the East. The Cavaliers are another team that has been far superior at home (25-6) compared to the road (13-17) this season.
Key stats:
– Nuggets have a 14-14 road record.
– Cavaliers have a 25-6 home record.
– Cavaliers have covered the spread in 7 of their last 8 games following a loss.
Although the Nuggets won their previous meeting, the Cavaliers are the deserving favourites on Thursday night simply because they have home court advantage, which has proven to be a massive factor for both teams this season.
Memphis Grizzlies at Philadelphia 76ers
Wells Fargo Center, 7:30pm (ET)
Another heavyweight battle set to play out on Thursday night’s slate is between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers will be looking to reverse the result from their meeting on December 2nd when the Grizzlies defended home court with a 117-109 victory.
The Grizzlies have been a tough team to get a read on this season but will be looking for more consistency in the second portion of their campaign. They were in horrible form in the lead up to the All-Star game, losing nine of their last 13 games including seven straight on the road.
The 76ers were one of the form teams of the competition prior to the All-Star break, and a lot of their success was due to finally being healthy. They have a 17-5 record since the turn of the new year and now find themselves only three games behind the #1 seed in the East.
Key stats:
– Grizzlies have suffered 7 straight road losses.
– Grizzlies have a 11-17 road record
– 76ers have a 23-8 home record
– Home team has covered the spread in 9 of last 10 games in this matchup
The home team has dominated this matchup in recent seasons and form in the lead up to this particular game suggests that trend will continue.
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