NBA Tips, Predictions & Live Streams

Expert NBA tips and predictions as the 2020/21 season gets underway over the festive period.

Looking for the latest NBA betting tips and predictions? We preview selected games of the 2020/21 NBA season and show you how to live stream all of the action.

Read on below for our NBA tips as the new season gets underway with the Nets facing the Warriors and the LA derby between the Lakers and Clippers.

NBA Tips & Predictions: Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers

? Date: Wednesday December 22
⏰ Time: 2.00pm AEDT
? Stadium: Staples Centre

Another mouth-watering showdown takes place on opening night as reigning NBA champions the Lakers launch their quest to make it back-to-back championships when they come up against cross-town rivals the Clippers, who begin life under new coach Ty Lue.

The Lakers found their groove in the bubble a few months ago to take out the silverware, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis cementing themselves as the best one-two combo in the league. Incredibly, the Lakers have only gotten stronger over the offseason, adding the likes of Wesley Matthews, Dennis Schroder, Marc Gasol and former Clipper Montrezl Harrell to the franchise.

Meanwhile, the Clippers once again stumbled in the Playoffs and Doc Rivers couldn’t survive yet another hiccup when it mattered most. They’ve managed to retain the services of Paul George and Marcus Morris, while they’ve acquired the signatures of Serge Ibaka and Luke Kennard.

Overall, this is shaping as a highly unpredictable game, but of course all eyes will be on Lebron vs Kawhi Leonard. Not much split the teams last season as they shared two wins apiece. The Lakers will be determined to start their championship defence on a winning note against their biggest rivals, and having bolstered their ranks from last season, we think they can edge this in a close one.

Key Points

  • The underdogs have covered the line in each of the last six games between the teams
  • The Lakers have won the first quarter in each of their last seven games vs the Clippers
  • Seven of the Clippers’ last eight games have gone under the total points line

NBA Tips: Lakers vs Clippers ?

NBA Tips & Predictions: Miami Heat at Orlando Magic

? Date: Thursday December 24
⏰ Time: 11.10am AEDT
? Stadium: Amway Centre

Fresh off a stellar run to the NBA Finals inside the bubble last season, Miami will be out to pick up from where they left off when they make the short trip to Orlando to face the Magic on Wednesday.

Neither side has acquired nor lost the services of key players, so not much has changed since last season for both – which is why we can expect another win for the Heat, who have won the last three encounters between the teams.

Jimmy Butler was immense in leading the Heat to the NBA Finals, where they would ultimately go down to the glitz and glamour of the Lakers in six games.

Meanwhile, the Magic are decimated on the perimeter coming into this showdown, with three of their top forwards in Jon Isaac, James Ennis and Aminu all out injured.

Butler will be relishing the chance to come up against a depleted Magic, and with the rivalry between these franchises sizzling in recent years, this is a match Miami won’t want to lose.

Key Points

  • Miami have won their last three meetings against the Magic
  • Two of those wins were by 10+ margins
  • Twenty of the Magic’s last 25 games have gone over the total points line

NBA Tips & Predictions: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

? Date: Thursday December 24
⏰ Time: 11.00am AEDT
? Stadium: Talking Stick Resort Arena

Suns fans are hoping for a big season from their side as Phoenix square off against the Dallas Mavericks to launch their new NBA campaign on Wednesday.

It’s a season full of promise for the Suns for a number of reasons. Firstly, Phoenix will be determined to extend the momentum generated from their time in the bubble, where they were flawless in posting a 8-0 record through their seeding games.

The Suns have since picked up the services of Chris Paul from Oklahoma City. Paul led the Thunder to the postseason in 2019/20 and should be a strong addition alongside the likes of Devin Booker and Deandree Ayton.

Meanwhile, Dallas lost three of their last four matches at the end of last season and will be without Kristaps Porsingis to start the season. That means the Mavericks will be looking for MVP favourite Luka Doncic to go to another level this season.

It’s set to be a tight contest and opening games are always tough to prediction, but we like the Suns with their great recent record against Dallas and their spectacular form at the end of last season.

Key Points

  • The Suns have won the last three games between the teams
  • Two of those wins were by 26 points or more
  • Four of the Suns’ last five games at PHX Arena have gone over the total points line
  • The Mavericks have failed to cover the line in each of their last four season openers

NBA Live Stream: How to watch & bet on NBA Basketball live online

bet365 are the leading bookmaker when it comes to streaming sports online for free and that includes a huge array of basketball matches including all NBA games from the regular season clashes to the finals series as the champions are crowned.

You will find the entire basketball schedule available in bet365’s extensive live streaming service.

The bookmaker is offering all eligible customers the chance to watch and bet on all NBA matches throughout the season. All you need is a funded account with bet365 or to have placed an online bet within the last 24 hours of the match, although you must note that geo-restrictions may apply in some areas.

Read on below for information on how to watch and bet on NBA basketball live on bet365.

NBA Basketball: How to live stream with bet365

  1. Visit the bet365 website
  2. Sign into your account or register for a new one
  3. Select live streaming on the right-hand menu
  4. Choose the NBA match you want to stream
  5. Enjoy live NBA basketball live streams and in-play betting

Under Australian law, we are required to inform you that Live Streaming on bet365 is exempt from Parts 3 and 4 of the Broadcasting Services (Online Content Service Provider Rules) 2018.

For more info on bet365, click here for our comprehensive bet365 bookmaker review.

Betting on NBA Basketball

Bookmakers have a number of markets available for basketball games and we run through some of the most popular ways to bet on the sport.

Spread 

The Point Spread, more commonly known as the ‘line’ in Australian betting terms, is one of the most common bet types. The spread allows the punter to get even odds on either team by giving or taking points. For example, if the Golden State Warriors are playing the Utah Jazz you may see this market…Golden State Warriors -11.5 vs Utah Jazz +11.5. The – symbol will always be associated with the favourite and the + symbol will always be associated with the underdog. This simply means if you take Golden State -11.5 they must win the game by 12 or more points for the bet to win. If you are betting on the Utah Jazz +11.5 this means the Jazz and either wins the game or lose by less than 12 points. If they do, the bet is a winner.

Total 

Total betting is the most common bet for professional NBA bettors. The Total has two sides, the Over and the Under. The ‘Total’ is the number of combined points between the two teams. For example in the Golden State vs Utah game, the Total is set at 209.5. This means if the Warriors beat the Jazz 111-99, the total will have gone over the expected 209.5 points and the Over will be paid out. Vice Versa if the total score ends at 109-99 the Under will be paid out.

Money Line

The Money Line or ‘Head to Head’ betting is the simplest and most popular bet types in NBA. The Money line is simply the odds that bookmaker sets for either team to win a game. All the Money Line requires is for you to correctly pick the winner of the match. The Odds for an underdog will be much higher than betting against the spread so this is often a more popular betting proposition for the amateur punter.

First Basket Scorer

The First basket scorer market simple. You are able to bet on who will score the first basket of the game. Only the starting 10 players on the court are to be considered as bench players will never score the first basket of the game.

Quarter Betting
Betting on individual quarters is quickly becoming a more popular bet type among punters. You are able to bet on the outcome of a quarter, by betting on a team or the total points scored in that quarter. For example, if the Warriors are playing the Jazz, a first quarter market may read:
Golden State Warriors -1.5 | Over 55.5 points | Utah Jazz +1.5 | Under 55.5 points
It is important to watch for teams that are historically fast starters and others that are slow starters. The first quarter is regarded as the highest scoring quarter whilst the third quarter is known for being the lowest scoring.
If you’re a basketball fan, then you know that betting on the sport can add an extra level of excitement to watching a match. But where should you go to place your bets?
Check out our list of the best basketball betting sites for the top recommendations. We’ve done all the research so you can focus on picking the right team to win!
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