Night two of the NBA Cup is here! With a massive slate of games scheduled this Friday, we’ll bring you our favorite storylines and betting lines! So kick back and relax because it’s a basketball night, baby!
Most NBA fans will not have circled this game on their calendars, but it might be one of the most interesting games of the evening. Detroit has been one of our favorite teams this year, and they’ve finally seen some hope after years of dismal basketball. Cade Cunningham has been lights out late. The progression of Cade and Jaden Ivey has given us hope that Detroit might not be far away from being relevant in the East once again. Taking on the Raptors tonight, we love this match-up for Cade. The Raptors have not been a beacon of defensive prowess, and we think Cade will have an electric night. We’re all in on Detroit tonight.
Toronto, on the other hand, has been bogged down with injuries. Scottie Barnes has been gone since early November due to an orbital fracture, with others like Immanuel Quickley, Bruce Brown, and Kelly Olynyk also on the sideline. That has opened up opportunities for others, however, with RJ Barrett and second-year player Gaddey Dick standing out. Dick has been particularly impressive, scoring from the perimeter at a high level. Even though we love Detroit in this matchup, Toronto is by no means a pushover for them. We expect to see a competitive game for these two young rosters!
It’s not often we have a game involving LeBron James where he isn’t the main attraction, but tonight, all eyes will be on Victor Wembanyama. In his last two games, Wemby has been incredible. Scoring eight threes in his last game, he put up 50 points in only 32 minutes. Surrounded by some veteran talent in Chris Paul and Harris Barnes, this Spurs team can beat anyone. Tonight will be a real test of Wemby, however. Going against Anthony Davis, he may be one of the few people on the planet who can meaningfully slow Wemby up. We still love the odds of the Spurs taking this one at home and getting their first NBA Cup victory!
The Lakers know what it takes to win these games, though as the reigning NBA Cup champions, they have been formidable this year with a 7-4 record so far. LeBron continues to defy the odds by continuing a legendary career, and with AD next to him, it’s easy to see how they could take this game. The Lakers, in general, feel like a team that is one trade away from being a title-contending team again. Tonight will be a great measure of what this team is capable of, and we can’t wait for this game to tip off!
This could have been the game of the night if not for injuries. Both teams are struggling early with some big injuries to key players. The Thunder have lost both of their starting centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, leaving them vulnerable to size; however, despite these setbacks, this roster is incredibly dangerous. There is a reason they are 10-2 in a brutal Western Conference. They thrive on their defensive abilities even while running out some of the most undersized lineups in the league. The Thunder have three players in the top 10 for steals per game. Their active, hands-on defense has made them the 3rd best defense in the league this season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has picked up right where he left off last year. He has been scoring incredibly efficiently, averaging 28 points a game on nearly 50% shooting. With partner-in-crime Jalen Williams right next to him, we think OKC will easily take this game tonight.
We’d have more faith in Phoenix if the injury hadn’t bitten them as well. The absence of Bradly Beal and Kevin Durant mainly pulls the ceiling of this team way down. Even through these injuries, Phoenix has managed to steal some games behind the efforts of Devin Booker, who has been carrying this team. They’re still at the top of the West with a 9-2 record, but facing this incredibly talented OKC roster, we don’t think Booker will have enough to overcome the odds.
We’re worried about Minnesota. They have not gotten off to the start we had hoped for. Especially recently, they dropped two games to Portland, one of which was their first NBA Cup game. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why they have been struggling, too. Unlike some of these teams, Minnesota remains healthy. There have been some obvious growing pains in adding Julius Randle into the fold, but still, with such a loaded roster, a 6-6 start is not what you want to see. Anthony Edwards has even taken a step up in scoring this year, shooting the three-ball incredibly well at volume. He is taking 11 three a game and hitting them at 42%. It doesn’t make sense how this team has been dropping games to less talented rosters. However, we think they’ll right the ship tonight, taking on the Kings without DeMar DeRozan.
The Kings have been a plucky team so far. They are not breaking out of the pack yet; they have a fun team. The trio of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray has been solid this year, but none has taken a leap either. The most significant change in this roster has been the impact of DeRozan, but unfortunately, he’ll be out tonight. Without their second primary scorer, they could be vulnerable to a Wolves team looking to claw out a meaningful win. The matchup isn’t great for the Kings either, as Minnesota has size across the board on the Kings. We’ll need to see a standout performance from Fox tonight if the Kings have a chance to knock off the Wolves in their first NBA Cup game.