The most exciting day of the NBA regular season is almost upon us: NBA Christmas Day. As a Christmas tradition, the NBA has gifted us five high-level, competitive matchups. Let’s preview these matchups and find the best bets on the slate.
All lines are taken from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change until game day.
Best Betting Picks for NBA Christmas Day Games
Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks: MIL -3 (-110)
This will be the fourth matchup of the season between these two teams. Milwaukee won the first two games and they are slated to play on Saturday, December 23 before Christmas. The Bucks match up well against the Knicks as the interior presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez causes all sorts of trouble for the rim-attacking style of Knicks scorers like Julius Randle and RJ Barrett.
The Knicks are also missing their best center Mitchell Robinson, which is especially problematic when facing Antetokounmpo around the rim. Damian Lillard tends to destroy defenses who play drop coverage. He is likely to have a massive game under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. The Bucks have the edge.
Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets: DEN -4.5 (-120)
The Warriors have righted the ship and won three straight games. They are playing better despite the absence of Draymond Green and the lackluster performance of Andrew Wiggins. However, the Denver Nuggets are a different beast. Their starting five is healthy and very difficult to beat in Denver. Golden State also has no one to slow Nikola Jokic down now that Green is suspended and Kevon Looney is a shell of himself. A huge game from Jokic and a relatively easy win for Denver is the likeliest scenario.
Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles Lakers: LAL ML (+102)
This game is a toss-up and heavily dependent on availability. Jayson Tatum rolled his ankle last game and Kristaps Porzingis is dealing with an injury. Regardless, the Lakers are a dominant home team with a 10-3 record, and the Celtics struggle in away games with a 6-6 record. We know how much LeBron James loves to put on a show when the attention is on him. He will likely play a lot of minutes and put in his best effort to try to secure the win in the primetime Christmas Day showdown. There still aren’t many players you would take over James in single-game scenarios, and this is certainly one of those. Advantage: Lakers.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat: PHI ML (-102)
The Sixers have been the best team in the league over the last month, and have the best point differential in the NBA for the season. Joel Embiid is playing the best basketball of his career as he continues to be an unstoppable offensive force. The Miami Heat finally have their full roster healthy and available, and they usually match up well with Philadelphia, so they will certainly make this a contest. But, the Sixers have been the better side all year, and the Tyrese Maxey & Embiid duo are likely to score very well against the Miami Heat defense that has been disappointing for the majority of the season.
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns: DAL +4 (-110)
The Phoenix Suns are the only team with a losing record at home among teams with playoff hopes. They have been deeply underwhelming all season, with a frustrating inability of their Big Three to stay healthy. They need to get back on track soon, but Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have had Phoenix’s number for a while. The Suns don’t have a good matchup for Doncic and the Slovenian sensation always steps up in big games. Plus, Kyrie Irving is reportedly close to a return. Dallas has been the better team all season and should be able to pull off an upset in this one.
Best Bets:
Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets: DEN -4.5 (-120)
Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks: MIL -3 (-110)
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns: DAL +4 (-110)
LWOS Disclaimer: For entertainment purposes only. These picks are not meant to be a guarantee and are solely meant for entertainment and discussion.
