Thunder vs. Celtics Line – Monday January 6 NBA
Carrie Stroup here with your Thunder vs. Celtics line along with a preview of tonight’s Mavs vs. Lakers game. Bet this one at Sportsbook.com. Receive up to $250 in FREE CASH. You can bet on NBA games as they are being played with in-progress wagering and using your mobile handhelds.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Oklahoma City -3 & 187
Opening Line & Total: Thunder -2 & 188
The best record in the Western Conference will be put to the test when the 11-2 Thunder visit the Celtics on Monday night. This is the first of three games that Oklahoma City, winners of six straight (5-1 ATS), plays on the east coast, traveling to Washington and New Jersey after this game.
The Thunder have begun this season 2-0 ATS facing Eastern Conference foes. The Celtics, on the other hand, have gone just 0-2 ATS against teams from the West and are 2-4 ATS playing at home. Boston is also mired in a four-game losing streak both SU and ATS. Although the Celtics have a strong defense, limiting opponents to just 92.1 PPG (eighth-best in the NBA), their aging talent may not be able to contain the league’s fifth-best offense at 100.3 PPG. Paul Pierce has been a step slower this season than in years past, and he could be forced to guard the dynamic Kevin Durant (25.8 PPG), always a threat to lead the league in scoring. Additionally, the Thunder have been excellent at taking advantage of other team’s mistakes this season, with the league’s best free throw percentage at 80.6%, meaning the Celtics cannot send their opponent to the line and expect a good outcome.
Watch out for Thunder C Kendrick Perkins (5.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG) to loom large as the only player from last year’s blockbuster Oklahoma City-Boston trade to be playing in this game.
Oklahoma City is the Kevin Durant show, but what makes the Thunder the best in the West so far this season is that he is backed up by a superb supporting cast. Russell Westbrook (18.9 PPG) and James Harden (17.4 PPG) would be number one scoring threats on almost any other team in the NBA. With all three of those players being elite scorers, they can play players in the post who are more valuable for their defensive skills like Serge Ibaka who only averages 6.8 PPG but chimes in with 2.2 BPG. Oklahoma City ranks fifth in the league in shooting (46.9% FG) and eighth in three-point accuracy (37.2%).
To snap out of its funk, Boston must begin to receive better play from Paul Pierce. He is averaging just 14.6 PPG, by far the lowest average of his career, on a pitiful 37.2% FG. Ray Allen (17.5 PPG) and Rajon Rondo (14.7 PPG, 10.1 APG) have been carrying the load so far, but Kevin Garnett is starting to come around with 15.5 PPG and a team-high 7.1 RPG. It is tough to understand how the Celtics are only receiving a couple points given their disastrous play lately, definitely play against here.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (8-5) at LOS ANGELES LAKERS (9-5)
Sportsbook.com Line: Los Angeles -3.5 & 181
Opening Line & Total: Lakers -4 & 181.5
Two sizzling-hot teams square off Monday night when Dallas brings a five-game win streak (SU and ATS) into L.A. to face a Lakers team that has won five of six.
The Mavericks have held opponents to a paltry 77.6 PPG on 37.7% FG during their win streak, including limiting Sacramento to a Dallas franchise-record 60 points on 26% shooting (2-of-21 threes) in Saturday night’s 99-60 blowout. Dallas is 8-2 ATS in the past 10 road meetings with the Lakers, winning four of those games outright. The team has also been a stellar bet as a road underdog, going 23-8 ATS (74%) in this role since the start of last season. Kobe Bryant shot a mere 40.7% FG (1-of-10 on threes) against Dallas last season, while Dirk Nowitzki had 22.0 PPG (46% FG) and 10.3 RPG versus the Lakers.
The Mavs have been tremendous defensively, but the five teams they beat have a combined 18-42 record this year. But their once-struggling offense is coming around now, with 97.8 PPG on 49% FG in the past four games. Kidd didn’t miss a beat in his return to the court after missing four games with a back injury. He racked up six assists and six steals in just 29 minutes of action against Sacramento. His return will certainly help Dirk Nowitzki, who is averaging under 20 points per game (17.7 PPG) for the first time since 1999-2000, his second year in the league. Nowitzki scored just 13.8 PPG in the four games without Kidd, but had 14 points in just 20 minutes on Saturday. He also dominated the Lakers during last season’s playoff sweep, tallying 25.3 PPG (57% FG) and 9.3 RPG in the four games.
Dallas is also starting to get better contributions off the bench from Vince Carter and Lamar Odom, who posted ratings of +31 and +32 respectively on Saturday. Carter has scored 16 points in each of the past two games on a combined 13-of-18 shooting (5-of-6 from three-point land). Odom, who will be facing his former team, is shooting an anemic 31% FG this season (19% on threes), but is starting to work the glass with a combined 13 rebounds in 46 minutes over his past two games. Jason Terry (14.9 PPG, 45% 3-pt FG) continues to be one of the best sixth men in the NBA, leading Dallas with 21 points on Saturday, giving him 18.7 PPG in his past three contests.
Kobe Bryant (NBA-high 32.0 PPG) has been scalding hot lately with 40+ points in each of his past four games on 50.4% FG. He dropped 42 (14-of-28 FG) on the Clippers Saturday, but his team still lost 102-94. Bryant has been held in check against Dallas in the past two seasons, scoring just 18.6 PPG on 40% FG (3-of-23 on threes). PF Paul Gasol also struggled in the playoff series loss to Dallas, averaging a mere 12.5 PPG in the four meetings. But Gasol has been productive lately with six straight double-doubles (15.5 PPG, 11.5 RPG). He has worked well inside with C Andrew Bynum who has 16.4 PPG and a whopping 13.8 RPG in his 10 games this season. He’s also blocked 20 shots, while committing just 23 personal fouls.
L.A.’s strong interior defense is a big reason the team ranks third in the league in FG Pct. defense (41.3%). But the Lakers (45.7 RPG, 2nd in NBA) were out-rebounded in Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, and could also struggle against a Dallas team that has 45.9 RPG in the past seven contests, good for fourth-most in the league.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
