NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (11/29)
We have NBA Cup action tonight. The in-season tournament has featured competitive games to date. Teams are buying in and want to win this tournament. Let's feature two games that will have that big-game feel.
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Friday's Best NBA Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Cleveland Cavaliers (-7.5) at Atlanta Hawks | O/U 246.5 (-108/-112)
The Cavaliers lost their first game at home, but the good news is that they can avenge that loss immediately as they take on the Hawks.
We know they will lose games, but it feels like this team could be special. This is the same roster from last year, so they have the chemistry that made it easier to acclimate to Kenny Atkinson's new offensive-minded playing scheme. They quickly established themselves as the best-scoring offense in the league (123.5 points per game), with six players averaging at least 11 points.
Atlanta got the win against Cleveland by playing their best game of the season. They were better than most of their season averages, especially from three, where they were 47%, and from a team shooting 38%.
This is a potentially great lineup. There's obviously Trae Young leading the way, and it looks like we’re seeing Jalen Johnson's potential, as he leads the team in rebounds (10.3) and is second in points (20.1). With Clint Capela in the front court, you could say they were playing below their potential.
These two teams went to 250 points last time and you expect that again.
Pick: Over 246.5 Total Points (-108)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (-1) | O/U 230 (-108/-112)
The Thunder are coming off a challenging game against Golden State. Late in the third quarter, they let a double-digit lead go, but they persevered and won by four points. That is what great teams do: they find ways to win.
OKC is among the few teams that can play differently in any game. They can play to their opponents ‘ strengths, whether they have to play a high-scoring game against a good offense or be defensively tough. They are one of two teams in the top seven in adjusted offensive and defensive rankings.
They must keep up with a Lakers' offense that is sixth in adjusted offensive rankings. The defense is a big concern, especially with some of their recent games. If they can't score, they will struggle to contend, and we saw that with a 25-point loss to Denver and 27 to Phoenix.
They have a good starting five, but we’ve seen them lack bench depth and fall far behind when they play their second unit.
This could be a game where the Thunder completely shut down the Lakers' offense and make this a low-scoring game.
Pick: Under 230 Total Points (-112)