NBA Christmas Games Odds Preview: Spoiling Christmas for The Home Team

NBA Odds Have Positioned Most of the Home Teams in Tough Spots

Home Teams are (Mostly) Embattled This Christmas Day

If all you want for Christmas is for your home team to win, you may be feeling like you just woke up to a lump of coal in your stocking. Two home teams are pegged as underdogs while the other two are no more than 3.5-point favorites per the NBA Christmas Games odds.

At least one home team has lost since the NBA went with a five-game Christmas Day slate. This NBA season could be one where there are more visitors successfully playing the Grinch and swiping these hosts’ Christmas presents.

Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks

Records: 76ers (18-12), Knicks (18-14)
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Streaming: NBA League Pass

No Holiday at the Garden for Knicks

For the sixth time in nine Christmases, the Knicks open the NBA Christmas Games at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, New York has won just one of these games (1-5). While this win came just last season, the Knicks have been terrible at home this season: 8-8 and 6-8-2 against the spread (ATS). It’s why they’re four-point underdogs against Philadelphia.

The 76ers have stunk on the road as well (5-7 on both moneyline and spread); however, they did beat the Knicks the last time they visited them on Christmas Day. Philadelphia will also have both Joel Embiid and James Harden. It has won six straight games and is 5-1 ATS in this span. The total is also set at 219.5 indicating a stingy NBA matchup between these top-10 defenses.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks

Records: Lakers (13-18) vs Mavericks (16-16)
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

Doncic Serves Up Revenge for Christmas

Going by the odds, the Mavericks are the most likely home winners as 7.5-point favorites. This is where Luka Doncic will get revenge for 2020’s embarrassing 138-115 blowout loss to the Lakers. He and his Mavericks catch the Lakers when Anthony Davis is out with an injury while both LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are banged up.

The Mavericks are terrible against the spread and are just 5-10-2 ATS at home; however, the team is 12-5 and have wins over Phoenix and a healthy Golden State. The Lakers, on the flip side, are just 6-16 against teams above .500 and just 3-11 ATS when visiting as an underdog. While both Doncic and James could blow up the NBA player stats, the total is the lowest this day at just 218.5.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Boston Celtics

Records: Bucks (22-9), Celtics (22-10)
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MT

Bucks and Celtics Heat Up Christmas Day

In what could be the best matchup for these NBA Christmas Games, the NBA lines have Boston as a 3.5-point favorite. This is their first meeting since Boston beat Milwaukee by the skin of their teeth in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Khris Middleton, who was missing that time, will also sit out this game. For Boston, both Marcus Smart and Robert Williams could miss the game.

Boston has lost five of its last six games and has not covered at all in this span (0-5-1). Thanks to the skid, the Bucks overtook them in the NBA standings. However, Milwaukee also sports the worst offense by a visitor at just 104.7. The Celtics, on the other hand, average the best offense at home at 120.3. Somewhere in the middle is the total at 223.5.

Memphis Grizzlies vs Golden State Warriors

Records: Grizzlies (19-11), Warriors (15-18)
Location: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

Undermanned Warriors Looking for Christmas Miracle

If the Warriors are to beat the Grizzlies this Christmas Day, they will have to do so without two of their best players in Stephen Curry, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, and All-Star Andrew Wiggins. Golden State has looked like a G-League team since they went down with 28-point and 30-point losses in recent games. As such, the NBA betting lines flipped with Golden State going from a 4.5-point favorite to a 4.5-point underdog.

The Grizzlies are mostly healthy but have been atrocious on the road; 6-9 and 3-11-1 ATS. This will be their Christmas Day debut (if we discount the Memphis Pros of the ABA) as they look for redemption from last season’s NBA Playoffs meeting. Memphis has covered in seven of its last 10 meetings against Golden State.

Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets

Records: Suns (19-13), Nuggets (19-11)
Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Suns and Nuggets Cook Up A Storm

Speaking of injuries, both Phoenix and Denver can fill up a kitchen with their players on the injury list. Most notably, the likes of Devin Booker and Cameron Payne are out for Phoenix while Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are questionable for Denver. Regardless, the NBA odds have this matchup as the highest-scoring with a total of 231.5. Phoenix averages the fourth-most points as a visitor (114.1) while Denver drops the eighth-most (117.7) as a host.

NBA odds have this matchup as the highest-scoring with a total of 231.5. Phoenix averages the fourth-most points as a visitor (114.1) while Denver drops the eighth-most (117.7) as a host.

 

Present will be Nikola Jokic, the back-to-back reigning NBA MVP. This will be his third NBA Christmas Day appearance while Phoenix looks for its first victory since 2009. While Denver is slightly favored at 2.5 points, the Suns have won their last two games at the Ball Arena. Phoenix is also 7-3 ATS in its last 10 meetings with Denver.
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