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NBA betting odds: Thursday’s lines

By Jeff Glauser

Oct 3, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) passes the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) passes the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Some regional matchups and the league’s top two teams highlight Thursday’s NBA games to bet on.

The Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks are close in proximity, and close in record as well. Just a game-and-a-half separate the two — with the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons sandwiched in between — in the race for second place behind the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central Division. The lines are just as close with the Bucks giving one.

Meanwhile, Texas and Arizona may be adjacent to each other on the map, but the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns are in two different planets competitively these days. The latter continues to work through a logjam in the backcourt and could be ready to press the “tank” button and rebuild at any moment. Stay tuned as the trade deadline inches closer.

Speaking of tanking, the New Orleans Pelicans may be doing so by default with injuries, but may have to do so by necessity to finally draft and pair a megastar with the existing one they already have in Anthony Davis. They face off against the Indiana Pacers, who might actually be in worse shape: good enough to compete against most teams, but not good enough to contend.

Next: Memphis Grizzlies: NBA's most unlikely contender

Take the Suns, add franchise player like the Pelicans and you have the Portland Trailblazers, who as a result, find themselves in similar purgatory as the Pacers. Portland has an overcrowded backcourt led by Damien Lillard but nothing else going for them. However, they play the Denver Nuggets, who are in full tank mode.

There is no shortage of marquee names in the evening’s nightcap showdown between the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks. Unfortunately, outside of Krystaps Porzingis, the stars in the Big Apple have begun to fade.

Here are the updated consensus lines, courtesy of SportsBookReview:

Thursday, December 15

  • 8:00 ET New Orleans (-2.5) vs. Indiana
  • 8:00 ET Chicago (-1) at Milwaukee
  • 9:00 ET San Antonio (-7.5) at Phoenix
  • 9:00 ET Denver (-1.5) vs. Portland
  • 10:30 ET Golden State (-14.5) vs. New York
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