NBA Tuesday picks - November 19
It’s NBA Cup night on Tuesday, with all six games on the schedule being part of the league’s second annual in-season tournament. Among the teams taking the court are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers. The headliner is Cleveland at Boston, a showdown between the two best teams in the Eastern Conference – if not in the entire association – that is set for 7:00 pm ET on TNT. Let’s take a look at our NBA best bets to make on Tuesday, November 19.
Predictions
Pick #1: Cleveland Cavaliers +3.5 over Boston Celtics (-110)
Pick #2: Brooklyn Nets -1.5 over Charlotte Hornets (-110)
Pick #3: Los Angeles Lakers -10 over Utah Jazz (-110)
PICK #1: Cavaliers +3.5 over Celtics (-110)
Under any circumstances – even facing a trip to TD Garden – it does not seem wise to fade Cleveland right now, especially as a 3.5-point underdog. The Cavaliers are quite simply the best team in the NBA. Will that be the case come next spring and summer when the playoffs are in full swing? Only time will tell. For the time being, though, they are an absolute wagon. Head coach Kenny Atkinson’s team is off to the second-best start in NBA history (tied with two other franchises), currently behind only the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (24-0). Cleveland is a force on both ends of the floor. It leads the association in points per game – and with room to spare – at 123.7 while giving up the third-fewest in the Eastern Conference (111.4). Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are all scoring at least 18.1 ppg and Jarrett Allen is averaging a double-double with 14.5 ppg and 10.9 rpg. The Cavaliers are beating opponents by 12.3 points per game and have won their last two games by a combined 32 points.
The Celtics are obviously stacked, too, but Kristaps Porzingis (foot) is out until at least December and Jrue Holiday (knee) is day-to-day. They lost as 16-point home favorites to the Atlanta Hawks last week and most recently needed overtime to get past the visiting Toronto Raptors. Cleveland has a great chance to go on the road and win this one outright, and at the very least it should cover.
PICK #2: Nets -1.5 over Hornets (-110)
The Hornets won on the road at the Houston Rockets in their opening game of the 2024-25 campaign. They haven’t picked up a single victory away from home since that result. As such, Charlotte is 1-4 on the road and 5-8 overall going into Tuesday’s date with Brooklyn. Mark Williams has not yet played this season due to a foot injury and Tre Mann (14.5 ppg) is questionable for Tuesday with a back issue. LaMelo Ball (29.7 ppg) has been great, but no one else on the roster is averaging more than 15.5 ppg.
Brooklyn’s rebuilding roster is comprised of a motley crew of characters, but it is staying afloat so far with a 5-9 record. The Nets’ last five losses have come to Boston (twice), Cleveland and the New York Knicks (twice). They are 4-1 in their last five games against all other opponents. The two Cams (Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson) are more than capable of taking care of business at home against an underwhelming opponent.
PICK #3: Lakers -10 over Jazz (-110)
The Lakers are the defending champions...no, not the defending champions of the NBA. They won the In-Season Tournament last year! It’s not much, but it also isn’t nothing. Heck, there is now a banner inside Crypto.com Arena for In-Season Tournament titles, on which future victorious years will be added to join 2023. The bottom line is that any proud franchise wants to win stuff, no matter how insignificant – and the Lakers are certainly a proud franchise.
They also appear to be quite good this season. LeBron James and company head into Tuesday’s contest against the Jazz with a 9-4 record. Utah, on the other hand, is 3-10. Nobody is averaging more than 17.5 ppg and Walker Kessler (9.2 ppg, 10.7 rpg) is likely to miss this game with a hip injury. Don’t be surprised if the Lakers run up the score given that point differential matters in the NBA Cup.
