CAVALIERS 125, BUCKS 101
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Cavaliers, odds 1.267
Line: Cavaliers (-8.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Over (221.5), odds 1.871
Pre-game Prediction:
Bucks, 36.4%
Cavaliers, 63.6%
Mixed bag in our tipping results here, we fancied Milwaukee to deliver a performance post Vegas, so tipped them with the aid of the spread, but they got hammered. We also tipped Andre Jackson Jr to come in under his Points market total (4.5), which he obliged by scoring 0!
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, Darius Garland added 16 and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved to 15-1 at home with a 124-101 win on Friday night over the Milwaukee Bucks, who played for the first time since winning the NBA Cup.
Cleveland is 3-0 this season against Milwaukee, which was without All-Star guard Damian Lillard because of a strained calf.
Evan Mobley scored 15 and Cleveland made 20 3-pointers while pushing its league-best record to 24-4.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who may need a couple more days to shake off their collective hangover after winning the Cup on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
With Lillard sidelined, the Bucks were missing their second-best player and 25.7 points per game. Milwaukee’s starting guards — Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green — shot a combined 0 of 9.
Cleveland Cavaliers v Milwaukee Bucks best bets and free betting tips
THUNDER 104, HEAT 97
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Thunder, odds 1.878
Line: Thunder (-1.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Under (217.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction:
Thunder, 52.1%
Heat, 47.9%
MIAMI (AP) — Jalen Williams scored a season-high 33 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Miami Heat 104-97 on Friday night for their seventh straight victory.
Lu Dort scored 14 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 18 rebounds for the Thunder, who improved to 22-5 — the second-best record in the NBA and tops in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City’s winning streak is alive because the NBA Cup final — a loss Tuesday night to Milwaukee in Las Vegas — doesn’t count as a regular-season game.
Tyler Herro had 28 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, which got 17 points and 10 rebounds from Bam Adebayo.
The Heat lost Jimmy Butler to illness in the first quarter and briefly lost Adebayo in the third quarter when he got elbowed over an eye by teammate Jaime Jaquez Jr. Adebayo needed seven stitches but returned.
Oklahoma City Thunder v Miami Heat best betting guide and free picks
76ERS 108, HORNETS 98
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Sixers, odds 1.13
Line: Hornets (+13.5), odds 1.901
Total Points: Under (213.5), odds 1.871
Pre-game Prediction:
Hornets, 24.5%
76ers, 75.5%
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 34 points and nine assists after missing a game because of a sinus fracture, helping the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-98 on Friday night.
Wearing a protective “ Phantom of the Opera ” mask, Embiid was introduced to a roaring ovation.
Embiid scored 22 points in the first three quarters to lead the 76ers to their fourth win in five games. Philadelphia is still well under .500 at 9-16 but a recent hot streak has it at least within striking distance of a play-in tournament berth.
Embiid has been ravaged by injuries this season and has only played in seven games, mostly due to knee soreness.
Vasilije Micic led the Hornets with 20 points. They lost their fourth straight game and have lost for the 12th time in 13 games.
