On an NBA slate that is headlined by the Los Angeles Lakers "hosting" the Los Angeles Clippers, we're looking to pick out three winners to send you into the weekend with a bigger bankroll.
1. San Antonio Spurs at Washington Wizards - 7:00 p.m. ET
The Spurs are 16-13-1 against the spread in road games this season, so they're not going to be uncomfortable playing in Washington in this one. San Antonio is also 11-7 straight-up and 10-7-1 against the spread when playing as a favorite this year. Now, the Spurs will look to handle their business against a Wizards team that doesn't have Bradley Beal or Kristaps Porzingis right now. Washington still has some solid role players in place, but San Antonio is the more talented team in this one. The Spurs have a really good backcourt, spearheaded by Dejounte Murray. Murray has been one of this season's true breakout players, and he should put up some big numbers in this one. San Antonio is also just the better coached team in this game, so this matchup really shouldn't be all that difficult for the Spurs to overcome.
THE PICK: Spurs -3
2. Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz - 9:00 p.m. ET
The Mavericks are 11-1 against the spread when revenging a loss to an opponent this season, so they'll be locked in when they face a Jazz team that beat them by four on December 25. This Dallas team is also built to give a team like Utah trouble right now. The Jazz are not very good at defending the perimeter, which means that Luka Doncic should have no trouble getting himself into the paint. Once he's there, Doncic is capable of either scoring for himself or finding his open teammates. Also, while the Jazz are one of the better teams in the league on the offensive end, the Mavericks are fifth in the league in defensive rating this season. They should be able to do a nice job of preventing Utah from going off here. Ultimately, this should be a game that's pretty close in the fourth quarter, so we're taking the team with the best player that also happens to be getting a lot of points.
THE PICK: Mavericks +6
3. Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers - 10:00 p.m. ET
The Lakers are going to need to start stringing together some wins soon, as they are fighting for positioning within the play-in format right now. This meeting with the Clippers isn't going to be easy for LeBron James and Co., as Ty Lue's team tends to be a nightmare to play against. However, the Lakers should show up with some real intensity in this one, and they're still the more talented team — even with Anthony Davis sidelined. The Clippers are without Norman Powell for the remainder of the year, and the newly-acquired guard was slated to be one of the main sources of offense for his team. Look for Malik Monk to step up and make some big shots in this one, as he has been one of the bright spots for the Lakers all year. Austin Reaves could also end up being an X-factor here, as he's a guy that makes the right play and isn't afraid of big moments.
THE PICK: Lakers -1
