Day one of the NBA Cup brought us a ton of NBA action last night. With some impressive upsets, some of the sportsbook’s favorite teams were knocked off. We saw Atlanta take down Boston, Detroit topple Miami, and Portland route Minnesota. Even though today is not a cup day, we still have some excellent games, including a rematch between Minnesota and Portland on the second night of a back-to-back. Stay with us as we go through our favorite moneyline games of the day!
Well, last night’s outcome was far from what anyone expected. Not only did Portland upset Minnesota in the first game of the NBA Cup, but they blew the lid off them. They shot an incredible 58% from 3; they were infallible. Along with an out-of-this-world shooting night, their defense was brutal, locking up Minnesota and bringing a high level of physicality to the game. This is what you get with a young team, though. Shooting 9% from 3 against Memphis on Sunday to 58% last night, it’s hard to know what Portland will look like tonight. However, I’m optimistic they can bring the heat again at home against the Wolves.
Minnesota, on the other hand, had a solid game. It was nothing to write home about, but still, they shot a respectable 50% from the field and 37% from 3. They lost the hustle battle last night while catching Portland on the hottest shooting night they’ve had this year. Minnesota is the better team, but it’s hard to say what this rematch will look like. However, with a leader like Anthony Edwards, we expect the level of intensity only to climb. If the refs allow Portland to remain as physical, and Portland can at least shoot well from 3, this game will be a toss-up. However, we're going to ride the hot hand, especially when DraftKings is baiting us with +320 odds. We think Portland will go back-to-back at home versus Minnesota!
We also have another rematch game on the docket tonight, with the Suns taking on the Kings in a rematch from last Sunday. The Kings narrowly claimed victory over the weekend after going into overtime, but his one will still be close. Unfortunately, Kevin Durant continues to be absent due to a calf strain. Jusuf Nurkic and Bradley Beal are two other notable names listed on the injury report, but it’s unclear if either will be available tonight as they’re still listed as day-to-day. Regardless, the Suns are still dangerous. Devin Booker has been cooking early this year, as he’s taken a bulk of the scoring duties. He’s helped this team climb to the top of the Western Conference with a 9-2 record early. Though the Kings have been a tough match for the Suns, and with Phoenix on the road today, this will be one of their most challenging games yet.
The Kings have gotten off to a modest start, with a record just over 500 at 6-5. However, they feel like one of the most complete teams in the West this year. The addition of Demar DeRozan has changed the chemistry of this team. Adding another iso scorer to the team has opened the door for a more robust offense, and it’s paying off. DeRozan has been on fire early, averaging nearly 25 a game. He dropped 34 last Sunday against the Kings and didn’t miss a single three-point shot. Beyond DeRozan, Keegan Murray, Fox, and Sabonis have all been solid, with most of their losses coming in close games. We think the Kings will pick up this game and go 2-0 against the Suns.
Last night was a shocker as the Pistons narrowly beat the Heat in OT off a rare Erik Spoelstra error. Spoelstra called a timeout with none remaining during a tie game in OT with one second left on the clock, giving Detroit a technical free throw to win. Beyond that bizarre fumble, Detroit played the Heat well, and it’s continued a trend of improved play from one of the most down-trotted teams in the league. Teams can’t sleep on the Pistons anymore. Especially with the emergence of Cade Cunningham, this team has teeth. We don’t think they’ll win 40 games or anything, but there is an off chance, without bad the East, they could make the play-in. Regardless, this matchup against the Bucks is intriguing. With the early season struggles of the Bucks, we like the odds of this Detroit team tonight. The play we have seen out of Cade and Jaden Ivey gives a lot of hope they can pound this weak Bucks backcourt.
The Bucks are coming into this one, winning only their 3rd game last night. That was against Toronto, which has been far from impressive this year. The Bucks will be coming into this one with Damian Lillard or Khris Middleton, too, leaving everything on Giannis’ plate. We’ve seen him be a one-man army before, but how long can he do it? The matchup for Giannis on the Pistons isn’t great; you’re dealing with Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren, or Ron Holland with Tim Hardaway Jr out this game. So Giannis could have a massive game, but we hate the odds of the Bucks slowing down these two young guys. We could see this turn into a shooting battle, and whoever hits their 3s takes this. We don’t think this will be a pretty game, and we’re pessimistic about the Bucks' chances.
Pacer (-110) at Magic (-110)
Pelicans (+700) at Thunder (-1100)
Celtic (-375) at Nets (+295)
Cavaliers (-535) at 76ers (+400)
Bulls (+240) at Knicks (-300)
Wizards (+340) at Spurs (-440)
Clipper (+145) at Rocket (-175)
Grizzlies (+225) at Lakers (-280)