What an NBA Cup match-up we have. Last year’s Champions in the Celtics will face the form team of the competition, the 15-0 Cleveland Cavaliers.
Best Bet
Charlotte Hornets @ Brooklyn Nets (11:40am)
Points numbers, bad – assists numbers, good. The positive of taking Ben Simmons assists is you know he won’t be shooting the basketball.
Simmons has covered 5.5 assists in five of his last six games including having 8 last game, and when Nic Claxton is off the floor he’s averaging 10 per 36 minutes – the big man will miss again through injury.
Although we’ll likely only see 22 minutes of Simmons against Charlotte, he should start at centre and with the Hornets conceding assists to centres 9% above average I expect the Australian to be clearing this line again.
SGM – Under 221.5 Points / Simmons 6+ Assists / Miller 2+ Assists = $4.00
Next Best
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics (11:10am)
Coming up against the best defensive back-court duo in the league in Derrick White and Jrue Holiday won’t be easy for Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell is down on points and attempts this season and the Cavs have won 15 in a row to start the season, go figure. This is a clear directive from new coach Kenny Atkinson that the Donovan Mitchell high-usage, iso-style game won’t translate to success with this talented Cleveland roster and to his credit he has bought in.
Only averaging 24.6 points per game this season, Mitchell has covered this line in just five of his 14 starts – Chicago twice, New Orleans, Washington and a Bucks team that leak points to guards. He might still be ultra-effective in this, but it’s a big line against the reigning champs.
SGM – Mitchell Under 27.5 Points / Mobley 15+ Points / White 15+ Points = $4.20
Value Bet
OKC Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs (1:40pm)
Wemby in doubt for the Spurs which makes them a real poor team. When the Frenchman is on the floor this season San Antonio’s net rating is 2.3 – this would rank them 12th in the NBA. But without Wemby on the floor the Spurs have a net rating of -7.5, which would have them 26th in the competition.
The Thunder will be determined to bounce back after a surprise loss to the Mavericks on their home court, and I expect the small-ball to really trouble San Antonio with the lack of leg-speed coming from their front court.
The line is -9.5 for this, but I can easily see OKC winning this one by 20+ if Wemby does miss – plus with points difference so important in the NBA Cup they won’t be taking their foot off the gas.
SGM – Thunder -9.5 / Dort Under 5.5 Rebounds / Collins 2+ Assists = $4.00
Wednesday NBA Multi
Celtics / Nets / Thunder
$3.00
