NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (12/27)
We have a big nine-game NBA slate today. Below are our top NBA picks & predictions for Saturday, December 27.
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Saturday’s NBA Best Bets & Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Denver Nuggets (-3.5) at Orlando Magic | O/U 234.5 (-110/-110)
The Nuggets want nothing more than to get this team healthy. They have two important players out with injuries, in Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, but there is hope they could each return in the next couple of weeks. However, they have been playing well without them, winning eight of their last ten. That's because Nikola Jokic is on the court, who is making a case to take home another MVP. He continually makes history, and he did so again in the last matchup against Dallas, where he became the first player to score 56 points with 16 rebounds and 15 assists.
The Magic are also dealing with injuries, but they haven’t been as successful in overcoming the absence of those players in the lineup. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are the two significant players who are currently sidelined, but Paolo Banchero has also missed time. Sitting in the sixth seed isn't that bad for what they've dealt with, but the Eastern Conference is congested with a lot of teams very close in the standings.
Denver already has a win over Orlando, in which they shot 56% from the floor. The Nuggets come in with a rest day, while the Magic will play the second leg of a back-to-back.
Pick: Nuggets -3.5 (-110)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Houston Rockets (-3.5) | O/U 234.5 (-108/-112)
The Rockets are finally done with their six-game road trip, which did not go as they had hoped. They finished with a 2-4 record during that time, with three of those losses coming against teams under .500. Attrition could be a reason, as three of those games went into overtime. Earlier in the season, their success came from a balance of offense and defense. However, their recent struggles could be attributed to their defense, as their 119.7 defensive rating since December 15 ranks 25th.
The Cavaliers are also a team that has been underperforming recently. They are coming into today having lost nine of their last 14, and this is not looking like the team that finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. It has a lot to do with injuries, with several players, including Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Sam Merrill, missing time. Last year, they were a team with one of the top-scoring offenses but also a formidable defense. While the offense remains near the top, the defense has dropped drastically, going from eighth in defensive efficiency last season to 16th this year.
Being back in Houston might be what the Rockets need as they are 8-2 at home. The Cavs have lost four of their last six on the road, with the two wins coming against bottom-feeders Washington and Indiana.
Pick: Rockets -3.5 (-110)