76ers at Bulls, Clippers at Blazers among top games, best bets for Dec. 26
Here’s a trivia question for you: Which NBA team in the Eastern Conference currently has the longest winning streak? This would be the spacey intro to the song Sirius) …Chicago Bulls.
Yes, the Bulls (14-15), who sit in 10th place in the East, are the hottest team in the conference, with four straight wins. This is the second-longest winning streak in the entire league, behind the blazing Spurs, who have won eight in a row.
On Friday, Chicago will try to extend that winning streak to five when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center.
The 76ers (16-12) are in fifth place in the conference and just lost 114-106 to the Nets on Tuesday. Tyrese Maxey, who ranks third in the NBA in scoring (31.0 points per game), was held to just 13 points on 3-of-14 shooting in that loss.
Chicago is a slight favorite with 1.5 points against Philadelphia.
While 76ers vs. Bulls is Friday’s star attraction, there are other options in a sports landscape that includes nine NBA matchups and three college football games. Below is a preview of what to watch and bet on for Friday, December 26. All times are Eastern.
NBA best bets, where to watch
76ers at the Bulls
Time: 7:30 p.m. | Location: Chicago | TV: Main video | Flow: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Choice – Model: 76ers +1.5
Even though the Bulls won, the defense was more generous than Santa during the holidays. Over the last nine games, Chicago has a defensive rating of 119.5 points per 100 possessions; only four teams were worse. At the same time, opponents are shooting 38.2% from beyond the 3-point arc. That doesn’t bode well for Friday against Maxey, who is shooting 39.1 percent from deep. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, says Philadelphia has a 60.0% chance to cover and gives the 76ers a B grade +1.5.
Mowers at Trail Blazers
Time: 10:00 p.m. | Location: Portland | TV: Main video | Flow: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Choice – Model: Pioneers +2.5
The Los Angeles Clippers’ last two games (victories against the Lakers and the Rockets) do not mask the team’s defensive shortcomings. The Clippers (8-21) are giving up 118.2 points per 100 possessions this season, which ranks 26th in the entire NBA. This could pose a problem on Friday against Deni Avdija and the Blazers (12-18). Avdija is having an All-Star season, scoring a team-high 25.5 points per game while averaging 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. The SportsLine projection model says Portland has a 65.0% chance to cover and gives the Blazers a B grade +2.5.
Best College Football Bets, Where to Watch
Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota
Time: 4:30 p.m. | Location: Phoenix | TV: ESPN | Flow: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Choice – Model: Minnesota -1.5 | Expert: New Mexico +2.5 (Jeff Hochman)
The New Mexico Lobos are in the midst of one of the best seasons in program history. In their first year under coach Jason Eck, the Lobos (9-3) were so close to reaching the Mountain West Conference championship game, but lost a strange tiebreaker to narrowly miss. With a win Friday, they would post just the second 10-win season in program history and the first since 1982. Meanwhile, Hochman notes that the Golden Gophers (7-5) went 1-5 against their fellow bowl teams, were outscored in four of those five games and had a -141 yardage differential per game. “Minnesota went 0-5 on the road, and with the bowl being played in Arizona, the crowd should heavily favor New Mexico,” he says. However, the SportsLine Projection Model disagrees. It lists the Golden Gophers, who own the nation’s longest winning streak (eight), as having a 57.0 percent chance to cover and gives Minnesota a C grade -1.5.
First Responders Bowl: Florida International vs. UTSA
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Dallas | TV: ESPN | Flow: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Choice – Model: UTSA-5.5
Opt-outs will play a huge role in the outcome of this game, and as of Friday morning, the full list of players who will not participate has not been released. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said his team would be “a shell of itself” due to withdrawals and injuries, estimating it would be missing between 10 and 20 players. Meanwhile, FIU will also be without several starters, including three members of the secondary. The key to the game could come down to Panthers running back Kejon Owens against the Roadrunners defense. Owens ranks seventh in the nation in rushing yards per game (108.2) and earned Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors. He’ll face a UTSA defense that allows 155.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks 77th in the nation, and will be missing at least three linemen. Despite this, the SportsLine projection model says the Roadrunners have a 63.0% chance to cover and gives UTSA a B grade -5.5.
Looking to the future
NFL: the Texans at the Chargers
Time: 4:30 p.m. Saturday | Location: Inglewood, California | TV: NFL Network | Flow: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Choice – Model: Texans +108 | Expert: Texans +2.5 (RJ White)
Two AFC contenders face off in a game with playoff implications when the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans face off at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers (11-4) have clinched a playoff spot and are currently the best wild card team in the AFC. Meanwhile, the Texans (10-5) have won an NFL-best seven straight games and occupy the third and final wild card spot, but are still in the hunt for the AFC South title. Behind a fierce pass rush, Houston leads the NFL in scoring defense (16.6 points per game) and will face a makeshift Los Angeles offensive line. White notes that the Texans were 1.5-point favorites on the prospective line last week. “I feel like it could be decided by 1 or 2 points, so I’m going to take the value out of what I think is the better team overall,” he says. The SportsLine projection model says Houston wins 47.0% of the time and gives the Texans money line a C grade (+108).
