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Christmas Day is all about family, friends, gifts and…basketball? It’s odd that the NBA has no games the day before Christmas and then loads them on us on the day we’d probably rather be spending time with family, but hey, NBA bettors won’t be complaining. You can refer to our picks, place your bets and sit back and enjoy the games. We head into the festive day with a still stellar 229-117 season record:
Wizards @ Knicks
The Knicks are still a complete mess at just 5-25 on the year. They might be tanking to get a good draft pick, and if they are, they’re doing a wonderful job at it. Washington is a stout 19-8 on the year and shouldn’t slip up here.
Pick: Wiz 108, Knicks 97
Thunder @ Spurs
The Thunder head to San Antonio in a battle of two very good teams that don’t have the records many thought they would at the moment. That’s largely been thanks to injuries, but rumor has it the Spurs will be completely healthy come Thursday. That gives them the edge at home, even if Kevin Durant returns.
Pick: Spurs 105, Thunder 104
Cavaliers @ Heat
LeBron James returns to South Beach to take on Dwyane Wade and the Heat team he abandoned. The Heat are struggling and the Cavs are starting to find their groove, but this should still be an interesting revenge game for the Heat. Ultimately, though, Cleveland is the better team now and it should show.
Pick: Cavs 105, Heat 99
Lakers @ Bulls
Kobe Bryant will start against the Bulls after resting on Tuesday night, but his presence shouldn’t make much of a difference. The Lakers are still one of the worst teams in the league and with Derrick Rose healthy, the Bulls are going to start being tough to beat on their home floor.
Pick: Bulls 103, Lakers 101
Warriors @ Clippers
In a rematch of last year’s opening round playoff series, Stephen Curry and the Warriors will try to take it to Chris Paul and the Clippers in L.A. This is a huge game for the Clippers as they’re quite a bit behind the Warriors in the Pacific division, and a nice 11-3 home record should give them a nice chance to get the upset.
Pick: Clips 109, Warriors 106
