Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard are not only two of the top point guards in the NBA today, but they’re also among the fiercest rivals.
The two superstar point guards have a history of heated battles, and they are now set to square off in the bubble as the Rockets and Blazers collide.
That mouth-watering matchup headlines Tuesday’s six-game schedule, which also features two of the top teams in the East in the Celtics and Heat facing off with third spot still up for grabs.
SBOBET previews all six of those matchups below and gives a sense of how they will all play out.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets
The Bucks suffered a surprise defeat to the Rockets as they let a commanding eight-point lead with just three minutes left to slip away. But while it was a disappointing result, it’s hard to see the Bucks making those same mistakes again against the Nets.
The severely undersized Nets will not have any answers to stopping Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has started the restart on fire. The reigning MVP has scored 36 points, with at least 15 rebounds and seven assists in both of his games thus far, and he should have another dominant outing against Brooklyn.
Sacramento Kings vs Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs have been one of the hardest-luck teams since the restart. They’ve lost both of their games thus far by a total of just six points. Luka Doncic has been posting impressive numbers once again, but he’s been unable to come up with enough plays late in games. Dallas will have a great opportunity to finally end that winless slide against the Kings, though.
Sacramento are also searching for their first win after losing to both the Spurs and Magic. The Kings’ defence has struggled so far in Orlando, giving up 130 points per game. They will have their hands full containing a Mavs offence which is among the most efficient in the entire league.
Betting Tip: Mavericks Asian Handicap -5.50 @ 1.86
LA Clippers vs Phoenix Suns
The Suns mean business in the bubble. They’ve won back-to-back games against the Wizards and Mavericks and are now just 1.5 games back of ninth place in the West. The Suns have been getting production from all parts of the squad, which has been a pleasant surprise.
However, it remains to be seen whether they will have enough to hang with the Clippers, who remain major favourites according to the NBA 2020 odds despite missing sixth men Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been playing well, while their deep bench has also provided timely contributions.
With the Clippers still out to clinch the No. 2 seed in the West, they will want to take care of business against Phoenix.
Betting Tip: Clippers -9.00 Asian Handicap @ 1.90
Indiana Pacers vs Orlando Magic
The TJ Warren show in Orlando continues. After exploding for a career-high 53 points against the 76ers, Warren made more NBA 2020 highlights by scoring 34 to lead the Pacers past the Wizards on Monday. More good news for Indiana was the return of guard Malcolm Brogdon, who scored 20 points with seven rebounds and six assists in his first game back.
The Pacers will have a tough test as they try to cool down the red-hot Magic. Orlando have won both of their games by double-digits, scoring over 128 points both times in the process. The loss of young forward Jonathan Isaac with a torn ACL is a blow, but Aaron Gordon is a capable defender who will try his luck slowing down Warren.
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
The Heat will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back looking to redeem themselves after losing to the Raptors on Monday. Miami staged a strong second-half comeback, but couldn’t quite overcome the defending champions.
The Heat won’t have that much time to regroup as they take on the Celtics. Miami must beat Boston to stand any chance of overtaking them for third in the East, but it won’t be easy.
While All-Star Kemba Walker continues to play limited minutes, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward have been playing well for Boston. Jayson Tatum also bounced back from his rough game against the Bucks to drop 34 points on the Blazers.
Betting Tip: Celtics Asian Handicap -3.00 @ 1.80
Portland Trail Blazers vs Houston Rockets
Houston have been doing it the hard way in the bubble. While they’ve won their first two games, they’ve had to come back on both occasions against the Mavericks and the Bucks. The formula for the dark horse contenders’ success remains the same: a heavy dose of Russell Westbrook and James Harden, who have been dropping more huge numbers in Orlando.
The Rockets could very easily find themselves in another shootout against Damian Lillard and the Blazers. Despite losing to the Celtics, Portland have looked impressive thus far in Orlando. The return of big men Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic to the line-up has made a major difference.
There’s no love lost between Lillard and Westbrook, and with both teams still having so much to play for in terms of playoff positioning, the two superstars will do everything in their power not to lose this game.
Betting Tip: Blazers Asian Handicap +5.00 @ 1.90
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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