Bet On NBA – Hawks vs. Celtics and Spurs vs. Nuggets

Two incredible games are listed on the NBA’s schedule on Thursday, Dec. 16th and both are worth the time of sports betting fans.

The Atlanta Hawks travel to Boston to take on the Celtics in a game between two highly motivated rivals.  Then, the San Antonio Spurs battle it out against Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.

Let’s take a look at the basketball betting action going on Thursday night, Dec. 16th!

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Dec. 16th – NBA Games

Atlanta Hawks (16-10) at Boston Celtics (20-4)

Where:  TD Garden, Boston, Massachusettes

When:  8:00 pm EST

NBA Odds:  Atlanta +5 ½ 

Analysis:  The Boston Celtics have climbed to a 20 and 4 record.  That’s the best in the Eastern Conference and the second best in the NBA after the Spurs 20 and 3 record.  How has Boston done it?  By being even better this season than they were last season.  But the Men in Green are once against a difficult team to gauge when it comes to basketball betting because they don’t always do well against the spread.  In fact, Boston is 4-6-1 ATS at home.  Boston is also 1 and 4 against the spread in their last 5 home games after a road trip of 7 or more days.  Last night, the Celtics battled a tough New York Knicks squad to a 118 to 116 victory. 

Boston ran up and down the court in the second half scoring 67 total points.  They have to be somewhat tired tonight, right?  Atlanta is a decent squad even with guard Joe Johnson incapable of playing.  The Hawks are only 5 and 11 ATS in their last 16 games after playing on a day of rest, but they are 4 and 1 against the spread in the last 5 meetings between these two teams.  I believe that the Hawks bounce back from their 80 to 103 loss to the Detroit Pistons in their last to cover the spread in the online sportsbook in this.  One thing that gamblers should note is the fact that Boston guard Rajon Rondo turned his ankle versus the Knicks on Wednesday night.  He insists he’s playing versus the Hawks but Doc Rivers might sit him in this battle.

San Antonio Spurs (21-3) at Denver Nuggets (15-9)

Where:  Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

When:  10:30 pm EST

NBA Odds:  San Antonio -2  

Analysis:  The awesome and incredible San Antonio Spurs got awfully lucky versus the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.  San Antonio hung on for the victory even though the Bucks outscored them by 14 points in the second half of that game.  The Spurs won 92 to 90 but now must take on the Denver Nuggets, a more formidable opponent than the Bucks, one night later on the road.  The spread in the NBA sportsbook still favors the Spurs in this one, and so do 58% of basketball handicappers, because San Antonio is 4 and 0 against the spread in the last 4 games between these two in Denver. 

The Nuggets might to play very well in this contest, however, because after their 4 game road trip where they went 1 and 3 straight up, Denver blasted Orlando in a 111 to 94 home victory.  Ty Lawson filled in admirably for the injured Chauncey Billups when racking up 16 points and 6 assists.  I don’t envision Lawson having that same type of success versus Tony Parker on Thursday night, though.  Lawson is good and he’s one of the reasons that the Nuggets covered the NBA odds in the sportsbook versus the Orlando Magic, but Parker is playing like a man possessed this season.  TP is averaging 17 points and 7 assists per game.  He’s also shooting 51% from the field.  The Spurs have gone 4 and 1 ATS in their last 5 games and with Tim Duncan concentrating more on defense and rebounding than scoring,  Duncan’s averaging only about 13 points per game, the team has simply become almost unbeatable.  They should roll over the Nuggets on Thursday night.      

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