The Miami Heat will vie for an eighth straight victory in games played on Christmas Day when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday afternoon as 4.5-point favourites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The defending Eastern Conference champions opened their season with a 113-107 loss in Orlando on Wednesday. However, the Heat were one of the NBA’s top home teams last season prior to heading into the playoff bubble, and take a 27-5 straight-up record over their past 32 contests played in Miami into Friday afternoon’s matchup at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Set as an early +1800 wager on the NBA championship odds, the Heat stumbled in their season-opening loss to the Magic, blowing a fourth-quarter lead on their way to defeat as 4.5-point chalk. Miami also dropped a lopsided 114-92 pre-season decision to New Orleans, but is 3-1 straight-up in its past four regular-season meetings with the Pelicans. The Heat have also gone 8-2 against the spread in their past 10 dates with New Orleans.
The Pelicans travel to Miami after opening their schedule on Wednesday with a decisive 113-99 road win over the Toronto Raptors. New Orleans has a lot to prove after ending last season on a dismal 5-10 straight-up run, and out of playoff contention for the fourth time in five years. But with Wednesday’s win over Toronto the Pelicans improved to 12-3 straight-up in their past 15 dates with Eastern Conference opponents, going 5-2-1 against the spread on the road during that stretch.
Also on Friday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks host the Golden State Warriors as 10-point favourites at online betting sites, and the Brooklyn Nets visit the Boston Celtics as 3-point chalk. The Bucks opened their season with a 122-121 loss in Boston as 4.5-point favourites, and sport a shaky 4-10 SU and ATS record in their past 14 regular-season contests. The return of Steph Curry was not enough to spark the Warriors in a 125-99 season-opening loss in Brooklyn. Golden State, though, has gone 4-1 SU in its last five road dates with Milwaukee.
Later on Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers vie for an NBA record 24th all-time straight-up win on Christmas Day as they host the Dallas Mavericks as 6-point favourites, while the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Denver Nuggets as strengthening 2.5-point chalk.
The Lakers dropped a 116-109 decision to the Clippers as two-point home favourites in Tuesday’s season opener, and are also winless in their past two Christmas Day clashes on home court. The Mavericks fell 106-102 to Phoenix in their first game of the season, and have also lost outright in five of their last six road meetings with the Lakers.
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