NBA Picks

Cleveland looks to deliver the knock-out punch on Friday night as they meet the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2nd consecutive game, just 48 hours after their dominant 133-107 win. The lead grew up to 30 points in that game, which just highlights how well the Cavaliers handled their business. Can they do it again? Donovan Mitchell certainly thinks they can. He has been on a tear against this team, scoring over 30 points in 3 consecutive meetings. Cleveland has won 6 of 9 games overall, and they are 5-1 SU in 6 meetings vs Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey was a massive letdown in Wednesday’s game, scoring just 14 points on 5-for-16 shooting. Joel Embiid was actually the team leader in points with 20, something we haven’t seen happen often this season. The Sixers just were outplayed in every single area, as the Cavs recorded 19 more assists and 10 more rebounds in Wednesday’s clash. Those are all things that need cleaning up if you’re Philadelphia, but with a semi-limited Embiid down low, you have to wonder if can they really contain a player like Mitchell — who has tallied over 39 points per game in the last 3 meetings.

Teams tend to respond after big losses usually, especially in these so-called baseball series. However, I am of the opinion that this game is Cleveland’s to lose. They probably won’t dominate by 30 points like they did on Wednesday, but the inside-out combination of Mitchell and a healthy Darius Garland with Cleveland’s front court should give the Cavs the edge over the 76ers backcourt. I’ll go with the Cavs to win outright.

Cavaliers vs 76ers prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers ML (+110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +100.

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The play of Trey Murphy III has been exceptional over the past couple of weeks or so. His last 8 games have seen him average 28.3 points per game, shooting just under 53% from the field and 41% from three. He was one of the main reasons why the Pels won their last game against the Nets, but at this point, you have to wonder if what he is doing is actually being counter productive for New Orleans. It’s quite clear that the play-in tournament isn’t an option for this team, so a high pick in the draft is the way to go. By winning games the Pels are only risking dropping outside the top 3 in the draft lottery.

Indiana is in a similar boat actually, as they are sitting in 15th place in the Eastern Conference — although they too have shown signs of life lately. It would be smarter for them to just tank the rest of the year to land an elite draft prospect to pair with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton. We just saw their longest win streak of the season end on Wednesday, as the Raptors beat them 115-101. Prior to that, the Pacers won against Charlotte, Miami and Boston. They achieved that feat by playing extremely well on defense, so the question is can they do it against New Orleans on Friday?

I believe they can. Indiana has won 5 consecutive meetings at home against this team, plus they’ve covered in 4 of their last 5 overall. Trey Murphy III is their only concern, but I believe the likes of Siakam and co. will come up with a solid gameplan for him here. Take Indiana.

Pelicans vs Pacers prediction: Indiana Pacers -3.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The number here is most telling. Despite a much worse record, Brooklyn is still priced as the favorite at home. That’s not random — it’s a market signal that tonight’s matchup leans toward the team that is playing better basketball overall, not season-long power rating. Since December, Brooklyn has looked nothing like a team that should be 11-27, even if the record argues otherwise.

Brooklyn’s biggest edge is stylistic. They’re playing a game that translates well to any opponent: defending well, rebounding better, and winning small possession battles. The Nets have had recent blips in the rebounding department, but this is something that they have emphasized sorting out. Against a Chicago defense that is known for leaking extra looks and being outgunned in the paint, the match-up also translates well for the home team. If Brooklyn cleans up the boards, Chicago’s “extra possessions” disappear, along with their calling card of taking advantage of those situations.

Brooklyn mopped up Chicago as a 7.5-point underdog in December in a double-digit win, and while they have lost their last 5 outings overall, 3 of those contests were settled by 2 possessions or less. Flip those results towards Brooklyn’s favor and they are a much bigger favorite here. Nets roll.

Bulls vs Nets prediction: Brooklyn Nets -1.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -2.

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What is going on with the Houston Rockets? That’s what people are wondering following last night’s tough home loss to Oklahoma City where they got smashed 111-91. It was their 4th loss in 5 games, they’ve completely compromised all the good things they’ve done earlier this season by winning just 7 of 15 games. Friday sees them take on the Minnesota Timberwolves, not ideal in a back-to-back scenario considering they’ve lost all 3 games with no rest this season. Teams that beat them in those 3 games were Utah, Dallas and Sacramento, not exactly top tier opponents

Minnesota has been in far better shape lately. Their last 15 games have seen them go 10-5 SU, which is actually the 2nd best record in the league during this stretch (tied with 5 other teams). Ant Man and Julius Randle have been playing extremely well, one of those two is definitely making it to the All-Star game. Edwards got the night off vs Milwaukee the other day and it didn’t matter – the T’Wolves still thrashed Giannis and co. 139-106 on the road. With him coming back and Minnesota being 12-3 SU in 15 meetings and also covering in 12 of 18 games head-to-head, I am more than willing to back Minny to win outright here.