Latest NBA Predictions

Rasmus Hojlund scored a brace from the bench at Viktoria Plzen on Thursday but should be in line to start the Manchester derby on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim preferred the Dane to Joshua Zirkzee against Arsenal due to his ability to run in behind, and his approach is likely to be similar against the possession-oriented Citizens.

The hosts are in dreadful form, though, winning just one of their last ten competitive games and conceding 23 goals in that period. Hojlund has scored five and assisted one in his last four appearances for the Red Devils, averaging a goal contribution every 59 minutes, so he looks a good price to make in impact at the Etihad.

Last year’s finalists, Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, find themselves in the top half of the draw and could be set for a showdown in the semi-final, with the winner of that tie almost certainly a huge favourite for the final.

It could be that the teenage star can go one better than last year and takes adds the final gem to his crown in a glorious year. He has already won the Premier League, the World Series of Darts Finals, and the Grand Slam of Darts.

Littler has a more favourable path to the final stages of the competition and looks a good-value favourite to claim his maiden world title.

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury rematch on Saturday, December 21 and the undefeated Ukrainian looks set for a repeat victory.

The 37-year-old was awarded a split-decision victory over the Gypsy King in May, and while it was a fierce-contested clash, it was clear that Usyk had done enough to win the fight.

Fury is going to have to find improvement to turn the tables and it’s hard to see where that can come from at this stage of the 36-year-old’s career and it’s worth conserving that the British boxer hasn’t always lived the healthiest lifestyle outside of the ring.

Usyk is a brilliant, unbeaten, intelligent former undisputed cruiserweight champion and now the best heavyweight on the planet can put on another top-level performance.

When Tottenham take on Liverpool it usually means only one thing, and that’s goals. There have been 32 strikes in the last eight matches between the attack-minded sides and that latest meeting between the teams ended in a 4-2 Liverpool victory.

It’s no surprise to see that seven of the last eight contests between Spurs and the Red have busted the 2.5-goal line and there have been matches which have finished 4-3, 4-2, and 3-1.

Liverpool have a whole host of quality players in attack with Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota in the Reds forward line, and while Spurs are a little behind that level, Ange Postecoglou is one of the most forward-thinking managers in the Premier League.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have lost six of their first nine clashes against sides with winning records this season. Their Christmas Day clash is another difficult one, as they head to a Dallas Mavericks side that eliminated them from the postseason last term.

Minnesota had a height advantage in that series but trading away Karl-Anthony Towns has evened the playing field there. Since his departure, the Timberwolves have seen their defensive rating side, while they rank 20th in terms of points per game.

Dallas boasts the NBA’s fourth-best offense and a fantastic home record, so take them to beat a Minnesota side that is struggling to get into gear.

The Hawks and Bucks met just a couple weeks ago. Despite 56 combined points from Damian Lillard and Antetokounmpo, the Hawks still managed to win 119-104. This year’s Hawks team is built with large forwards surrounding their star point guard Trae Young. Atlanta like to work fast, and that matches up well against Milwaukee’s bottom-10 transition defense.

The two teams are evenly matched on paper, however the Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on their team. The MVP candidate is on a tear, he just had 39 points in the blowout win over Dallas which got OKC to this point. Houston has done well to get here, but this might be their ceiling. OKC has more experience which should give them the edge in this one.

The two teams are evenly matched on paper, however the Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on their team. The MVP candidate is on a tear, he just had 39 points in the blowout win over Dallas which got OKC to this point. Houston has done well to get here, but this might be their ceiling. OKC has more experience which should give them the edge in this one.

The Predators have just 3 wins on the road this season and they continue to struggle to score goals. Colorado has their own issues, but it’s more centered around their goaltending. Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to make his debut for his new team and is hoping to leave a good first impression. Nashville may also be without their captain, after he left the last game due to injury. This is a tough matchup for the Predators and it’s hard to picture a scenario where they come away with a win.

The two teams are evenly matched on paper, however the Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on their team. The MVP candidate is on a tear, he just had 39 points in the blowout win over Dallas which got OKC to this point. Houston has done well to get here, but this might be their ceiling. OKC has more experience which should give them the edge in this one.