Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN)
The Heat and Sixers open the ESPN Thursday card at the Wells Fargo Centre in a blockbuster Eastern Conference showdown (all times AEST).
Miami have been one of the big improvers this season, currently sitting fourth in the East with a 19-8 record. They have dropped two of their last three, falling to the Lakers at home and the Grizzlies on the road.
Bam Adebayo has been playing out of his skin and is a genuine All-Star contender. The big man has averaged 15.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game this season.
Despite starting slow out of the gates, Philly sit second in the East at 20-8 overall and are the last remaining team undefeated at home at 14-0. They had won five in a row, including victories over the Raptors, Nuggets and Celtics, before getting blown out by the Nets 100-89 in their last game.
Joel Embiid missed the Brooklyn clash with an illness, while Josh Richardson is still clearly hampered by a wrist injury that held him out for six games.
Tip: Philadelphia to win @ $1.33.
Orlando Magic at Denver Nuggets
The Magic head to the Mile High City to face the Nuggets at Pepsi Centre.
Orlando are starting to get their season on track, despite having dropped three of their last four. The Magic were boosted by the return of Nikola Vucevic in their recent win over the Pelicans.
Vucevic figures to give a major boost to a team that currently sit in the East’s eighth seed at 12-14 overall.
The Nuggets had fallen in a minor slump in December but have won their last three, albeit to the Blazers, Thunder and Knicks. Nikola Jokic is back to his best, averaging 22.0 points, two triples, 10.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists over the last week.
Denver are always tough to beat at home, where they are 11-3 on the season. Mike Malone’s team is 17-8 on the season to sit fourth in the always tough Western Conference.
Tip: Denver -4.5 @ $1.39.
Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks (ESPN)
The Celtics visit Dallas to cap off ESPN’s Thursday double-header.
The C’s are third in the East at 17-7 but have dropped their last two to the Pacers and Sixers. Gordon Hayward recently returned from injury as they look to reincorporate him into the offence.
Boston have not played since the 13th of December so will take fresh legs into the contest but are just 7-6 on the road this season.
They face a Mavs team that will be without Luka Doncic for at least the next two weeks due to an ankle injury. It mattered not in their last clash on Tuesday, defeating a red-hot Bucks team that were on an 18-game winning streak.
Kristaps Porzingis stepped up in that one, tallying 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Jalen Brunson also came up big as the new starting point guard for this team without Doncic, recording 13 points and 11 assists.
The key for the Mavs to stay competitive moving forward is for the likes of Brunson, Tim Hardaway and Dwight Powell to step up. Dallas are sitting third in the East at 18-8, but are surprisingly better on the road (10-2) than at home (8-6).
Tip: Boston to win @ $1.80.
