LAKERS 120, WARRORS 112
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Lakers, odds 1.498
Line: Lakers (-6.5), odds 1.909 - winning tip
Total Points: Over (226.5), odds 1.889
Pre-game Prediction
Warriors, 34.6%
Lakers, 65.4%
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 42 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers blew most of a 26-point lead before hanging on to beat the Golden State Warriors 120-112 on Thursday night.
Austin Reaves scored 23 points and Gabe Vincent hit five 3-pointers for the Lakers, who have won four straight and 10 of 12. Los Angeles also won its second straight with Luka Doncic watching from the bench.
Stephen Curry scored 37 points for the Warriors, but James came out on top in their latest duel.
James scored 18 points in the second quarter while the Lakers surged ahead, but Golden State began a 32-12 rally right before halftime. Curry scored 22 points in the second half.
Curry went 13 of 35 from the field and hit six 3-pointers. His 20 3-point attempts matched the fifth-most in his career.
He trimmed LA’s lead to 109-104 with 3:40 to play, but James hit his sixth 3-pointer with 1:08 left.
Jimmy Butler joined the Warriors in Los Angeles shortly after the NBA approved the trade sending him from Miami to Golden State for a package headlined by Andrew Wiggins.
Doncic got a massive ovation when introduced before the game. He is expected make his debut Monday.
New Lakers center Mark Williams hasn’t arrived.
Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors best bets and winning tips
PACERS 119, CLIPPERS 112
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Pacers, odds 2.81
Line: Pacers (+4.5), odds 1.948
Total Points: Under (231.5), odds 1.917
Pre-game Prediction
Pacers, 41.9%
Clippers 58.1%
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — All-Star Pascal Siakam scored 33 points and the Indiana Pacers overcame a 22-point deficit after losing Myles Turner to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-112 on Thursday night.
Bennedict Mathurin added 25 points. He inadvertently struck Turner in the face going for a rebound in the first quarter. Turner got up and then staggered while making his way to the bench. He was being evaluated for a concussion and did not return. He was scoreless in six minutes.
Norman Powell and James Harden had 22 points each for Los Angeles. Ivica Zubac had 18 points and 15 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard had 19 points in a season-high 34 minutes.
The Pacers trailed 105-100 before closing the game on a 19-7 run. They made 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch.
The Clippers raced to a 13-2 lead. They led 29-14 and closed the quarter with three consecutive 3-pointers to lead 42-22.
Indiana came roaring back in the second, outscoring the Clippers 42-19 to lead 64-61. The Clippers ended the third with a 10-0 run to go into the fourth ahead 88-84.
Indiana Pacers v Loas Angeles Clippers betting guide and latest odds
NUGGETS 112, MAGIC 90
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Nuggets, odds 1.408
Line: Nuggets (-5.5), odds 1.929
Total Points: Under (217.5), odds 1.902
Pre-game Prediction
Magic, 21.8%
Nuggets, 78.2%
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his 24th triple-double of the season, Michael Porter Jr. added 30 points and the Denver Nuggets won their fifth in a row by beating the Orlando Magic 112-90 on Thursday night.
Christian Braun finished with 16 points for a Nuggets team that saw the trade deadline come and go without making a move . The Nuggets had the game so well in hand that Jokic didn't play in the fourth quarter.
Porter turned in another electric offensive performance by hitting 11 of 16 shots, including five 3-pointers. It's his third straight game with 30 or more points.
Wendell Carter Jr. led the Magic with 19 points, and Paolo Banchero added 18. Orlando was outscored 33-17 in the third quarter.
Both teams played the night before. The Nuggets routed New Orleans 144-119 at home while the Magic beat Sacramento 130-111.
Denver Nuggets v Orlando Magic best bets and free tips
TIMBERWOLVES 127, ROCKETS 114
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Timberwolves, odds 1.861
Line: Timberwolves (-1.5), odds 1.901
Total Points: Over (213.5), odds 1.896
Pre-game Prediction
Rockets, 49.3%
Timberwolves, 50.7%
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 41 points, seven rebounds and six assists on Thursday night as the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied to beat the Houston Rockets 127-114.
One night after scoring 49 points in a win over Chicago, Edwards dominated the game early and late. He scored 18 points in the first quarter and 16 in the fourth, which began with Houston leading by six.
Rudy Gobert had back-to-back dunks to start the quarter before Edwards took over with three 3-pointers as Minnesota outscored Houston 35-16 over the final 12 minutes.
Jaylen Clark scored a career-high 17 points for the Timberwolves while Naz Reid had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Jalen Green led Houston with 28 points. Alperen Sengun had 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets, who lost their fifth straight.
Minnesota Timberwolves v Houston Rockets bets, odds and tips
MAVERICKS 127, CELTICS 120
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Mavericks, odds 6.43 - huge betting odds upset!
Line: Mavericks (+12.5), odds 1.917
Total Points: Over (232.5), odds 1.889
Pre-game Prediction
Mavericks, 17.1%
Celtics, 82.9%
BOSTON (AP) — Klay Thompson scored 25 points, Daniel Gafford gave the Mavericks 15 rebounds in what could be his last start at center for a while and Dallas beat the Boston Celtics 127-120 on Thursday night in their NBA Finals rematch.
With recently acquired big man Anthony Davis out with an abdominal strain and cheering on his new teammates from the bench, the Mavericks led by 27 points in the second half. Spencer Dinwiddie added 22 points off the bench.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla put in his bench, and they unexpectedly pulled within single digits in the final minute.
Jaylen Brown, who won the NBA Finals MVP in June while leading Boston to a five-game victory over Dallas, scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum had 17. Payton Pritchard scored 21 to lead the second-string rally.
