Friday’s NBA slate keeps the post-holiday action rolling, with teams returning to the floor as the season pushes toward its midpoint. With contenders looking to regain momentum and betting lines tightening, the day-after-Christmas board presents a strong mix of opportunity and intrigue. Here is tonight’s best bet brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.
The Pick: Trail Blazers +2.5
Rundown: The Los Angeles Clippers (8-21) travel to the Moda Center to tip off with the Portland Trail Blazers (12-18) in a battle of two teams looking to get back into the mix in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles enters looking to build off consecutive convincing home wins over the Lakers and Rockets. Before the two-game surge, the Clippers had dropped 10 of their previous 11 contests while searching for answers on both ends of the floor. This matchup opens a brief road stop before Los Angeles returns to the Intuit Dome for a five-game homestand that stretches into the new year. Despite covering five of its last 10 games, the Clippers own a disappointing 10-19 record against the spread this season and have been far more reliable away from home, covering seven of 16 road games compared to just three of 13 at home.
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden powered Los Angeles in Tuesday’s win over Houston, combining for 70 points in one of the team’s most complete performances of the season. Leonard poured in 41 points while Harden added 29, showcasing the offensive ceiling the Clippers will need to reach consistently to build momentum heading into the second half. Sustained production from the star duo remains critical for a team still searching for stability.
Portland continues a five-game homestand looking to bounce back after consecutive losses to Detroit and Orlando. The Trail Blazers have struggled to capitalize on home-court advantage, winning just five of 13 games at the Moda Center, but they have performed better against the spread than their record suggests. Portland is 15-15 ATS this season and has been particularly strong as an underdog, covering in 13 of 19 games when catching points. Forward Deni Avdija has led the way offensively for a team ranked 14th in total offense, averaging 25.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists.
Expect Portland to keep this one within a possession on its home floor against a Clippers team still trying to turn the corner.