Celtics fell again, although this time the odds were against them as they played their second game in under 24 hours. Not just their second game, they played their third period of overtime in that time period also.
In a rare round where every pre game betting favourite won, a bettor could have seen a 6-leg parlay bet full of favourites generate odds of 8.98, returning $269 for a $30 bet.
Boston Celtics 114, Cleveland Cavaliers 118 - OT
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Cavaliers, odds 1.58 - winning NBA pick
Line: Celtics (+5.5), odds 1.93
Total Points: Over (219.5), odds 1.88 - helped by double overtime
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 40 points and Lamar Stevens fuelled Cleveland’s fourth-quarter comeback with his hustle, leading the Cavaliers to a 118-114 win on Monday night over the Boston Celtics, who lost their second overtime game in less than 24 hours.
Evan Mobley added 25 points and 16 rebounds for the Cavs, who improved to 7-0 in OT while avenging a loss in Boston five days ago.
Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Malcolm Brogdon 24 for the Celtics, who didn’t arrive at their hotel in Cleveland until 2:30 a.m. after losing to the New York Knicks in double overtime on Sunday.
The Celtics, who were without All-Star Game MVP Jayson Tatum, blew a 14-point lead in the fourth and had a chance to win it in regulation. But Grant Williams missed two free throws with 0.8 seconds left and Boston’s Marcus Smart barely missed a tip-in at the horn.
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Philadelphia 76ers 147, Indiana Pacers 143
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Sixers, odds 1.30 - short odds win for 76ers
Line: Pacers (+7.5), odds 1.95
Total Points: Over (232.5), odds 1.88 - hugely over!
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 42 points, James Harden added 14 points, 20 assists and nine rebounds, and Philadelphia pulled away late for a victory over Indiana in an entertaining game virtually devoid of defense.
Embiid made 11 of 16 field goals and all 19 free-throw attempts. Tyrese Maxey scored 24 points and Jalen McDaniels added 20 for the 76ers, who have won two straight.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 40 points and 16 assists in just their second home game since Feb. 16. Jordan Nwora finished with 16 points. Five other players reached double figures in Indiana’s second game in two nights.
Atlanta Hawks 128, Miami Heat 130
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Heat, odds 1.63
Line: Hawks (-2.5), odds 1.87
Total Points: Over (227.5), odds 1.88
MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler had 26 points, Victor Oladipo and Caleb Martin combined to score 43 off the bench and Miami held off Atlanta.
Butler also had nine rebounds and nine assists for Miami, which swept a two-game set from the Hawks. Bam Adebayo scored 16 points, Duncan Robinson had 14, Tyler Herro finished with 13 and the Heat set a season high with 59 bench points.
Trae Young scored 25 for Atlanta, which got 23 from Dejounte Murray and 17 apiece from Saddiq Bey and John Collins.
Miami (35-31) moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta in the race for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference, and took the season series 3-1 — so the Heat would hold the tiebreaker over the Hawks as well.
Toronto Raptors 113, Denver Nuggets 118
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Nuggets, odds 1.33
Line: Raptors (+7.5), odds 1.87
Total Points: Over (228.5), odds 1.92
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 24 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 20 and Denver scored the last six points of the game to beat Toronto.
Aaron Gordon added 19 points for the Nuggets, who won their ninth in a row at home. They improved to 24-1 in their last 25 games at Ball Arena. Nikola Jokic finished an assist shy of another triple-double. He had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Fred VanVleet had 21 points for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam added 19.
VanVleet hit a pair of free throws as Toronto regained a one-point lead, but Denver scored the final six points, all on free throws, to secure the win. Murray converted a free throw in that final stretch after Scottie Barnes was called for a technical and ejected by referee Scott Foster.
New Orleans Pelicans 108, Sacramento Kings 123
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Kings, odds 1.42
Line: Kings (-5.5), odds 1.88
Total Points: Under (238.5), odds 1.91
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Huerter scored 25 points, Domantas Sabonis had his eighth triple-double of the season and Sacramento beat New Orleans.
Sabonis finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Huerter added eight assists and five rebounds for the Kings (38-26). Sacramento has won six of its first seven games after the All-Star break.
The Kings outscored the Pelicans 38-20 in the third quarter after the game was tied at 59-all at halftime.
Davion Mitchell got the start for injured Kings star De’Aaron Fox and scored 15 points and added six assists. Trey Lyles scored 14 points off the bench.
Brandon Ingram scored 24 points for the Pelicans (31-34). New Orleans has lost six of its last seven games,
Portland Trail Blazers 110, Detroit Pistons 104
Betting Results:
Head to Head: 'Blazers, odds 1.42
Line: 'Blazers (-5.5), odds 1.87 - Blazers beating the spread
Total Points: Over (231.5), odds 1.92
DETROIT (AP) — Damian Lillard had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, securing his second triple-double of the season before the end of the third quarter, and Portland beat Detroit.
The dynamic guard scored 16 points in the first quarter to give the Trail Blazers a 31-18 lead, and they had little trouble keeping a comfortable margin against a banged-up and slumping team for most of the night.
Detroit pulled within six points with 1:39 left to fire up the previously quiet fans, and Jerami Grant quieted them with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession. Grant finished with 26 points against his former team.
Isaiah Livers scored 17 for the Pistons, who have lost a season-high eight straight games.
All betting results and odds provided by PlayUp, Australia's best NBA sportsbook.
By The Associated Press and DJ Arthurs | 03/07/23
Follow DJ Arthurs on Twitter at @DJArthursJourno