CAVALIERS 110, PISTONS 91
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Cavaliers, odds 1.203
Line: Cavaliers (-10.5), odds 1.896
Total Points: Under (235.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Pistons, 20%
Cavaliers, 80%
CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland scored 22 points, Donovan Mitchell added 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a season-high, three-game losing streak with a 110-91 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
Cleveland, which has led the Eastern Conference from the start, ended its mini slump with an 11th straight win over Detroit. The Cavs are 22-3 at home.
They also improved to 2-0 against former coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who led Cleveland's rebuild and guided the Cavs into the playoffs the past two seasons. However, Bickerstaff was fired following last year's postseason exit before being hired by the Pistons.
Jarrett Allen had 15 points and Evan Mobley 14 rebounds for Cleveland.
Cade Cunningham scored 22 points and Malik Beasley 19 for Detroit. Jalen Duren had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who have 23 wins after going 14-68 last season.
The Cavs were again without three rotational players, as Caris LeVert (wrist), Isaac Okoro (shoulder) and Dean Wade (knee) sat out with injuries. Coach Kenny Atkinson didn't have a timeline on Wade other than to say it “isn't day to day.”
Cleveland Cavaliers v Detroit Pistons best bets and odds
MAVERICKS 130, WIZARDS 108
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Mavericks, odds 1.12
Line: Trail Mavericks (-13.5), odds 1.908
Total Points: Over (231.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Wizards, 17.3%
Mavericks, 82.7%
DALLAS (AP) — Klay Thompson scored 21 of his 23 points in the first quarter, matching a Dallas record by hitting seven 3-pointers in the period, and the Mavericks breezed past the NBA-worst Washington Wizards 130-108 on Monday night.
Thompson equalled the Mavericks record for 3s in any quarter, set in February 2022 by Luka Doncic, who has been sidelined since straining his left calf on Christmas Day. Thompson owns the NBA record for 3s in a quarter with nine, set in January 2015 during his 11-year run with the Golden State Warriors.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 20 points to match a career high for the Mavericks (25-22), who opened on a 13-2 run and led by 38 points before halftime.
Bilal Coulibaly scored 16 points for the Wizards (6-39), who finished a six-game trip with their 14th consecutive loss. They’ve lost 21 consecutive away games after winning their road opener on Oct. 28.
Thompson, in his second game back after missing two with a sprained ankle, was restricted to 24 minutes and sat out the fourth quarter — as did most of Dallas’ starters.
Dallas Mavericks v Washington Wizards best odds, bets and tips
BUCKS 125, JAZZ 110
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Bucks, odds 1.263
Line: Trail Bucks (-8.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Under (239.5), odds 1.923
Pre-game Prediction
Bucks, 77.3%
Jazz, 22.7%
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard each scored 35 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 125-110 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
Antetokounmpo also had 18 rebounds and seven assists, powering the Bucks to their ninth victory in 11 games. Lillard added eight assists, and Khris Middleton provided 22 points off the bench.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 19 points and nine rebounds. Collin Sexton scored 19 and Brice Sensabaugh finished with 17, including five 3-pointers.
Antetokounmpo combined with Middleton to score five baskets over six possessions and give Milwaukee a 35-26 lead going into the second quarter. Lillard then assisted on four straight buckets and drove for back-to-back layups to put the Bucks up 51-38 midway through the second.
Utah twice cut the deficit to three, but Milwaukee pulled away for good after halftime. Back-to-back baskets from Antetokounmpo and Lillard ignited a 20-3 run, extending the Bucks’ lead to 93-69 late in the third quarter.
Milwaukee Bucks v Utah Jazz free tips and best odds
SUNS 111, CLIPPERS 109
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Suns, odds 1.975
Line: Trail Suns (+1.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Under (225), odds 1.891
Pre-game Prediction
Clippers, 48%
Suns, 52%
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 26 points, Kevin Durant added 24 and the surging Phoenix Suns survived a late scare for a 111-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
The Suns had a 103-90 lead with 5:06 left after Durant’s 3-pointer, but the Clippers went on a late 10-0 run, cutting the deficit to 107-106 on Norman Powell’s short jumper with 40 seconds remaining.
Phoenix’s Grayson Allen made two free throws with 10 seconds left for a 111-107 advantage, which was enough to close out the win.
The Suns have won nine of their last 12. Allen scored 18 off the bench while Tyus Jones added 17. Phoenix tied a season high with 22 3-pointers, making 46.8% of its shots from long range.
Ivica Zubac had 25 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers. James Harden added 24 points and 10 assists, while Powell scored 23 points.
Los Angeles trailed 60-47 at halftime, but erased that deficit less than seven minutes into the third quarter, taking a 66-65 lead on Kawhi Leonard’s one-handed jam. The Suns recovered to take an 83-78 advantage into the fourth.
Phoenix Suns v LA Clippers betting guide and free NBA picks
TIMBERWOLVES 100, HAWKS 92
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Timberwolves odds 1.188
Line: Hawks (-10.5), odds 1.904
Total Points: Under (217), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Hawks, 29.4%
Timberwolves, 70.6%
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 23 points and Julius Randle added 20 to help the Minnesota Timberwolves hold off the short-handed Atlanta Hawks 100-92 on Monday night.
DeAndre Hunter had a career-high 35 points and Keaton Wallace added 13 for the Hawks, who played without leading scorer and NBA assist leader Trae Young (hamstring) and starters Dyson Daniels (ankle) and Jalen Johnson (shoulder).
Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolves, who had nine turnovers and just five field goals in the third quarter as Hunter and the Hawks closed the gap to six. Hunter missed a dunk on Gobert with 44 seconds left that would've cut the deficit to four.
Fittingly for this ragged game, a small horn fell from the overhead scoreboard at the end of the first quarter and nearly hit Gobert in the head.
Minnesota Timberwolves v Atlanta Hawks best odds and latest tips
ROCKETS 114, CELTICS 112
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Rockets, odds 2.844
Line: Rockets (+5.5), odds 1.928
Total Points: Over (221), odds 1.904
Pre-game Prediction
Rockets, 29.3%
Celtics, 70.7%
BOSTON (AP) — Amen Thompson hit a game-winning floater with 0.7 seconds left and finished with 33 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 114-112 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night.
Dillon Brooks shot 10 of 15 from 3-point range and led Houston with 36 points. The Rockets won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Jaylen Brown had 28 points for the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum added 19 after a scoreless first half. Luke Kornet had 18 and Kristaps Porzingis scored 17 to go with eight rebounds.
Rockets leading scorer Jalen Green was held to 12 points.
Thompson broke free off an inbounds play and went in for an easy dunk, pushing Houston in front 112-110. But after a timeout, Tatum got the ball near midcourt and drove in for the tying layup with 5.3 seconds left.
Brooks’ 10th 3-pointer gave the Rockets a 108-106 lead with 1:39 to play.
The Celtics easily won the first meeting between the teams in Houston on Jan. 3.
Houston coach Ime Udoka said before the game that forward Cam Whitmore was “sick and back at the hotel.”
Houston Rockets v Boston Celtics odds and tips
HEAT 125, MAGIC 119
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Heat, odds 1.953
Line: Heat (+1.5), odds 1.889
Total Points: Over (205.5), odds 1.91
Pre-game Prediction
Magic, 50%
Heat, 50%
We ran three player prop bet tips on this game, landing two, missing one. He tipped Herro Under Assists (he obliterated his target), Banchero Over Assists (won) and Bitazde Under RA (he missed)
MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 30 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 26 and the Miami Heat erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter before beating the Orlando Magic 125-119 in double overtime on Monday night.
Adebayo had 10 rebounds and nine assists, Herro had 12 assists and eight rebounds, and Kel’el Ware finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Miami — which played hours after Jimmy Butler was suspended yet again .
Miami improved to 10-10 without Butler this season. The Heat are 13-12 when he plays.
Franz Wagner had 29 points for Orlando, which got 17 apiece from Paolo Banchero and Tristan da Silva. The Magic were outscored 9-3 in the second overtime.
Orlando is 18-2 in games it leads by double figures in the fourth quarter this season. Both losses were to Miami.
Miami Heat v Orlando Magic best bets and free tips
RAPTORS 113, PELICANS 104
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Raptors, odds 1.933
Line: Raptors (+1.5), odds 1.855
Total Points: Under (233), odds 1.904
Pre-game Prediction
Pelicans, 47.4%
Raptors, 52.6%
TORONTO (AP) — Jakob Poeltl had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Scottie Barnes had 21 points and 11 boards, and the Toronto Raptors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 113-104 on Monday night for their first four-game winning streak in almost two years.
RJ Barrett scored 17 points for Toronto and Chris Boucher had 14.
Toronto last won four straight from Feb. 12-25, 2023, a run that also included a home victory over the Pelicans.
Zion Williamson scored 31 points and CJ McCollum had 22 as the Pelicans dropped to 4-19 on the road.
Dejounte Murray scored 21 points and Trey Murphy III added 14 for New Orleans, which shot 6 of 28 from 3-point range.
The Raptors had lost 17 of 20 before beating Orlando last Tuesday at home. Toronto then swept a two-game series at Atlanta, its second and third road wins of the season.
The Raptors started 0-10 away from home before winning at New Orleans on Nov. 27.
Toronto Raptors v New Orleans Pelicans betting tips and latest odds
KINGS 110, NETS 96
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Kings, odds 1.134
Line: Kings (-11.5), odds 1.896
Total Points: Under (226.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Kings, 79.4%
Nets, 20.6%
NEW YORK (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 21 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists in his seventh triple-double of the season, De’Aaron Fox scored 30 points and the Sacramento Kings beat the Brooklyn Nets 110-96 on Monday night.
DeMar DeRozan added 17 points and Malik Monk finished with 16 for the Kings, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Sacramento trailed by seven points at halftime and outscored the Nets 33-24 in the third quarter to take an 80-78 lead heading into the fourth.
The Kings then went on a 13-2 run, capped by Keegan Murray’s 3-pointer from the corner opposite the Nets bench, to make it 97-85 with 6:08 to play.
D’Angelo Russell had 19 points and Tosan Evboumwan chipped in 15 off the bench for the short-handed Nets, who have lost eight consecutive games.
The Nets were once again without Ben Simmons, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to lower back soreness.
Forward Noah Clowney sprained his left ankle and was helped off the court with 3:13 remaining in the second quarter when he jumped to block DeRozan’s shot and landed on Sabonis’ foot.
Sacramento Kings v Brooklyn Nets odds, tips and best bets
KNICKS 143, GRIZZLIES 106
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Knicks, odds 1.616
Line: Knicks (-3.5), odds 1.896
Total Points: Over (242.5), odds 1.896
Pre-game Prediction
Grizzlies, 37.7%
Knicks, 62.3%
NEW YORK (AP) — Mikal Bridges had 28 points, six assists and five rebounds, and the New York Knicks snapped the Memphis Grizzlies’ six-game winning streak with a resounding 143-106 win on Monday night.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson had 20 points and six assists for the Knicks, who scored 143 points for the second straight game and won their fourth straight. New York (31-16) won for the 16th time in its past 22 games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 21 points for Memphis, and Desmond Bane chipped in 16. The Grizzlies fell for just the fourth time in 18 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
New York Knicks v Memphis Grizzlies best odds and bets
BULLS 129, NUGGETS 121
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Bulls, odds 4.26 - big odds upset!
Line: Bulls (+9.5), odds 1.929
Total Points: Over (248), odds 1.891
Pre-game Prediction
Nuggets, 72.3%
Bulls, 27.7%
CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Vucevic had 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and the Chicago Bulls handed the Denver Nuggets their second straight loss with a 129-121 victory on Monday night.
Zach LaVine scored 21 points and Lonzo Ball had 18 for Chicago, which had lost seven of eight. Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points.
The Bulls went 24 for 53 from 3-point range and had seven players score in double figures.
Denver wasted another impressive performance by Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds in his sixth triple-double in his last seven games. The three-time MVP has an NBA-best 21 triple-doubles this season.
Christian Braun scored 28 points for Denver. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. each had 18.
The Bulls grabbed the lead for good when they opened the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run. Dalen Terry made a 3-pointer and a layup before Matas Buzelis drove inside for a dunk after Aaron Gordon fell down, making it 108-96 with 8:51 left.
Terry finished with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
Chicago used a 12-0 run to take a 90-88 lead with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. Buzelis capped the stretch by powering to the rim for a dunk over Peyton Watson.
But Jokic drove inside for a jam and made a technical foul shot to send Denver into the fourth with a 96-95 lead.
Chicago Bulls v Denver Nuggets odds, bets and best picks
LAKERS 112, HORNETS 107
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Lakers, odds 1.492
Line: Lakers (-4.5), odds 1.87
Total Points: Under (222), odds 1.904
Pre-game Prediction
Lakers, 67.1%
Hornets, 32.9%
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Anthony Davis had 42 points and 23 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers used a huge first quarter from the All-Star center to build a 23-point lead before beating the Charlotte Hornets 112-107 on Monday night for their fourth straight win.
LeBron James had 22 points and Austin Reaves chipped in 17 for the Lakers, who never trailed.
Miles Bridges had 26 points for the Hornets, who lost LaMelo Ball in the second quarter to a left ankle injury after he stepped on Jarred Vanderbilt’s foot as he backpedaled down the court after draining a 3-point jumper off one foot.
It was supposed to be a celebratory night for the Hornets in a game that was aired on free, local over-the-air TV throughout the Carolinas for the first time since the 2007-08 season — giving them a chance to potentially capture a new audience.
But it didn't go as planned.
Davis scored 21 points in the first quarter on 9-of-12 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds as the Lakers bolted to a 39-19 lead.
