The fun continues in the Association of National Basketball as Monday night serves up an eight-game medley that features a renewal of historic rivalries. The Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers; the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons; and the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat. Rivalries steeped in divisional acrimony and regional grudgery. Grab the popcorn and lock in for a night of hard-nose hooping.
You can find out our NBA picks for all of tonight’s matchups along with EVERY GAME this season. But for now, here are our expert NBA best bets for every game featured on Monday, November 17th.
Bucks vs Cavaliers best bet: Cavaliers -6.5 (-110)
Odds available at Bet365 at time of publishing
Cleveland is undervalued here because they’ve gone just 1–4 ATS recently, while Milwaukee sits at 7–7 ATS. However, the Bucks have no definitive defensive identity and routinely crumble against pace-and-space offenses like Cleveland’s. The Cavs have also controlled the recent head-to-head series and draw a Milwaukee team that can look elite one night and exposed on the next. We know what we get with the Cavs here and we know if they start shooting well from downtown and the Deer have no answer, Cleveland rolls.
Pacers vs Pistons best bet: Pacers +9.5 (-110)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing
Detroit has been red-hot at home while Indiana hasn’t won on the road, creating a lopsided perception gap. There is also the fact that these two teams are on opposite end of the league standings. The Pistons lead the East, the Pacers are flirting with the basement. But in a rivalry game of this nature, taking back nearly double digits is simply taking back too many to pass on. The Pistons are being priced at their peak, the Pacers are being dismissed at their floor, and that imbalance creates value. Indiana may not win outright, but they’re more than capable of keeping this inside the number.
Read our full Pacers vs Pistons prediction
Clippers vs 76ers best bet: Clippers +170 ML
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
We had this circled because the Money Line price is to sweet to overlook. The Clippers have been one of the underperformers thus far this season while the Sixers have been a cash cow. Philly is 9-2-1 against the number on the year while the Clips have one of the worst ATS records in the league. The Clippers are getting close to making a statement, nearly upseting Boston yesterday in the TD Garden priced in the same range. We’re backing them to get over the hump tonight against the trendy Sixers.
Read our full Clippers vs 76ers prediction
Knicks vs Heat best bet: Heat -1.5 (-115)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
The Knicks beat Miami by eight in the last meeting as 6.5-point favorites, yet now they’re underdogs in the rematch — a clear signal the line is telling the true story. New York is 8–1 at home but winless on the road, while Miami has already beaten them once in South Beach. The market is correcting expectations, and the Heat are positioned as the rightful favorite as they are a 5-1 club in their own building. With offense expected and home court in its back pocket, this is the Heat’s game to lose.
Read our full Knicks vs Heat prediction
Hornets vs Raptors best bet: Over 238.5 (-110)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing
We’ve already seen each of these offenses crack 130 when the spacing is right, and both have surrendered 135+ when stretched. That’s what makes this number meaningful — it anticipates a game played in the open floor rather than the half court. Toronto will look to push tempo at home, and Charlotte, lacking defensive structure, will happily run with them. The Hornets’ defensive metrics practically invite their opponents into shootouts. When the total is this high despite middling averages, it signals expectation — not inflation. Books project a track meet here, and given the matchups, the weaknesses, and the style tendencies, that’s exactly how this one should unfold.
Read our full Hornets vs Raptors prediction
Mavericks vs Timberwolves best bet: Over 229.5 (-110)
Odds available at Bet365 Sportsbook at time of publishing
This total hinges on one simple question: can Dallas hold up its end of the scoring bargain? Minnesota has been one of the most reliable offensive teams in the league, averaging over 120 points per game, and there is no reason to believe they won’t get theirs again tonight. Their pace, spacing, and multi-level scoring give them a high floor on any given night, especially against a Mavericks defense that has shown cracks everywhere. Dallas has not demonstrated any consistent defensive posture this season. They surrender clean looks, lose assignments in transition, and struggle to contain interior attacks — all issues that Minnesota’s offense is built to exploit. The variable is Dallas’s own scoring output, but recent results point to optimism. The Mavericks put up 138 against Portland, one of the better defensive teams statistically, and preceded that with 127 against the Clippers, who, despite their inconsistency, still rank as a defensive-first roster. Neither of those defenses is as stout as Minnesota’s, but the Timberwolves do allow around 116 points per game, a number that is well within Dallas’s reach given their perimeter creation and shot volume. If both happen, we cash here. Easy.
Thunder vs Pelicans best bet: Pelicans +17.5 (-110)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
This number is outrageous, and that’s exactly why it demands a second look. Yes, we understand the optics: Oklahoma City is the reigning, defending NBA champion, boasting the league’s best record with just one loss. New Orleans sits on the opposite end of the spectrum with a mere two wins to its name and the worst record in the Western Conference. Those data points alone will funnel bettors toward OKC without hesitation — and that reaction is precisely what produces a number like this. But a line this large requires near-perfection from the favorite. The Thunder essentially must dominate from wire to wire with no lull, no four-minute drought, no bad rotational stretch, no let-up with the bench. One sloppy quarter can derail the cover which even a team like the Thunder can endure. Grab the points.
Bulls vs Nuggets best bet: Nuggets -14.5 (-105)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
Chicago comes in riding a five-game losing streak, but it’s the nature of those losses that’s damning. This is a team that just surrendered 150 points to the Utah Jazz. If Utah can put that kind of work in against the Bulls, what does that imply for a Denver team that punishes defensive lapses routinely? Look at what Jokic did against the Clippers last week for example: 55 points? Like clockwork. This line is a warning. The Bulls have been an early season feel good story but their defensive inefficiencies make them a danger here. Put that up against Denver’s machine-like production — and that’s a recipe for a lopsided affair. That’s why the number is so inviting on the Bulls. Lay the points.
Read our full Bulls vs Nuggets prediction
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