2016-17 NBA Betting Tips – Thursday, December 8th

The 2016-17 NBA season continues tomorrow and there are two ESPN televised games. Continue reading for our NBA Thursday December 8 Preview and Betting Tips.

Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks (Thursday 12pm AEST)

The Cavaliers are cruising at the top of the Eastern conference and will enter this match on the back of a strong win on the road against the Raptors in Toronto. The victory came on the back of Kevin Love continuing his strong season as he has dusted off the first couple of years of doubt he had in a Cleveland jersey. Lebron James continues to use as minimal effort in a match as possible while still being dominant but you can expect him to turn up with his best in this one as he faces foe and good mate Carmelo Anthony.

The Knicks will be hampered without their starting point guard Derrick Rose for the first time this season as he suffered back spasms in the victory against the Heat. They will enter this match on a four game winning streak but having to play a back-to-back against the Cavaliers is never an easy task – the defending champions will earn the win.

TIP: Cavaliers at the line (-7) – $1.95 with Sportsbet

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (Thursday 2.30pm AEST)

The second match on ESPN on Thursday will be two heavy weights of the Western Conference. The two sides have had differing seasons but sit in the top three in the West. The Warriors started off slowly but will enter this match on a huge hot streak where they have been scoring points at will – including Klay Thompson who is coming off a 60 point game and he didn’t play the third. If he continues to keep his hot hand than the Warriors are a side that is almost unbeatable. It opens up the lanes and spreads the floor for Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant while Draymond Green continues to play as a point forward.

Meanwhile the Clippers started with a bang and raced to the top of the West but have dropped in recent weeks as they struggled on the road before suffering a loss against the Pacers in their last start on their home court. They have lost a lot of their offensive flow while Chris Paul isn’t having as much of an impact and has been uncharacteristically turning the ball over. Expect them to be very switched on in this one against their rivals but we expect them to suffer a loss by a margin within 10 points.

TIP: Warriors 1-10 @ $3.05 with Sportsbet

Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks (Thursday 12pm AEST)

The Heat will enter this match on the second day of a back-to-back and after having only nine players eligible in their loss against the Knicks there will be a lot of sore bodies. The side has a lot of people on the sidelines and they are relying heavily on Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic. It will put a lot of pressure on them to play big minutes for the second straight day and they could fade in the fourth quarter.

The Hawks started 9-2 this season and were equal on the top of the Eastern Conference. However, since then they have gone just 1-9 and the side has dropped in attack and defensive efficiency. Dwight Howard has dropped his level of play while Paul Millsap hasn’t maintained his all star form from the last three years. However, with the injuries to the Heat and them playing a back-to-back we will be predicting the home side to return to winning ways.

TIP: Hawks at the line (-7.5) – $1.85 with Sportsbet

Indiana Pacers at Phoenix Suns (Thursday 1pm AEST)

The Suns are coming off a disappointing loss against the Jazz on Wednesday. They weren’t expected to win the match but they came from 23-points behind to get within two points, only to see the Jazz earn the W. The Suns are still a young side that is developing but there are signs they will be strong. They are 3-5 at home and 6-15 overall, the side just needs more leadership and they will improve drastically.

The Pacers are just 2-7 on the road this season but their last victory against the Clippers in Los Angeles suggests they could be turning the corner. Paul George is back in the line up after suffering an injury and he makes his prescence felt on the defensive end while he puts up numbers on offence. He is an important cog to the team and he will contribute to them earning their second straight away victory. Myles Turner needs to find consistency for the side to be a strong contender in the East.

TIP: Pacers -5 @ $1.90 with Sportsbet

NOTE: TIPS IN THIS ARTICLE ARE SIMPLY THE AUTHOR’S OPINION. ALWAYS GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY