The 2024 NBA Cup group stage continues this Wednesday with six games which of course means 12 teams are in action. Action will begin at the familiar start time of 11:00am AEDT, while the last of the games will tip-off just after 2:30pm AEDT. As always, we bring you our best bets for the day below!
Also, make sure to head over to our NBA Tips regularly, as we’ll be providing free tips for all the major slates for each and every week of the 2024-25 season!
NBA Betting Tips: Wednesday, November 20th 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (11:10am AEDT)
It’s a blockbuster Eastern Conference clash to get proceedings underway on Wednesday with the undefeated Cavaliers heading to Boston to take on the reigning champion Celtics. These clubs currently sit #1 and #2 in the standings, while the Cavaliers are 1-0 in the NBA Cup group stage and the Celtics are 0-1.
The Cavaliers are set to be without at least a couple of their rotational players, with the likes of Strus and Wade listed as unavailable, and a couple of others are also doubtful. For the Celtics, Porzingis remains out with injury and Payton Pritchard is questionable.
The Cavs are clearly playing out of their minds right now with a perfect 15-0 record but will face the biggest test possible by playing the Celtics at the TD Garden. The Cavs are 7-0 on the road this season with six of those coming against Eastern Conference opponents, while the Celtics are 4-2 on their home deck.
The Celtics have split their last four home games at 2-2 and the two where they won were both in overtime, so clearly they’re gettable in Boston right now. On the flip side, the Cavs are playing with the utmost confidence and deserve to be close to even money in the H2H market in my opinion. They look to be a great bet at the +5.5 handicap.
Cavaliers +5.5
$1.88 (2 Units)
OKC Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (1:40pm AEDT)
Second last on the Wednesday program we’ll see a pair of Western Conference rivals face off in San Antonio, with the up-and-coming Spurs hosting the Thunder. The Thunder currently lead the conference with an 11-3 record and are 1-0 in the NBA Cup, while the Spurs are in 12th spot with a 6-8 record, and lost their only Cup game to date.
The Thunder entered the season relatively thin in the big-man department and their lack of depth in that area is being exploited by opponents at the moment. Both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are sidelined with injury, as is backup Jaylin Williams. Sharpshooter Isaiah Joe will also miss on Wednesday with a calf injury. For the Spurs, Jeremy Sochan is out with a thumb injury, and Victor Wembanyama is listed as unlikely due to a knee complaint.
The Thunder have travelled well so far this campaign with four wins from their five road games, although they haven’t played on enemy territory for two weeks after just wrapping up a six-game homestand (4W/2L). The Spurs have been solid at home with a 5-3 record, although they lost their most recent hitout against the Lakers by five points.
It’s a real shame for the Spurs that the likely absence of Wemby means they simply won’t be able to take advantage of the undersized Thunder. On the flip side, it’s a huge blessing for the Thunder and one I expect them to take full advantage of. 10 of the Thunder’s 11 wins this season have been by 12+ points, and I suspect we’re in for another one-sided affair here.
Thunder -8.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers (2:40pm AEDT)
Last to get underway in the six-game Wednesday slate is a matchup that pits the Utah Jazz against the Los Angeles Lakers at the famous Staples Center. These clubs enter this matchup at opposite ends of the Western Conference standings, with the Jazz sporting a 3-10 record and the Lakers a 9-4 record. The Jazz are winless in the Cup at 0-1, whereas the Lakers won their first Cup game comfortably.
The Jazz certainly can’t blame injuries for their slow start to the 2024-25 season, as they currently only have two guys on the sidelines – Walker Kessler and Jason Preston. In contrast, the Lakers are a bit banged up at the moment with Hayes, Hood-Schifino, Vanderbilt, and Wood all ruled out, while Hachimura is also doubtful to return.
Two of the Jazz’s three wins have come on the road this season, and they’ve also won three of their last six games overall, so they are building into the season. Meanwhile, the Lakers have flourished in front of their home fans and are currently unblemished at 6-0.
The Lakers are obviously highly deserving of being the short favourites in this matchup, although the 11.5 line is a couple of points too long for mine. The Lakers have only won one game by double-figures this season, as teams can stay competitive when their bench comes on due to their lack of depth. For this reason, I’m happy to be with the Jazz to cover.
Jazz +11.5
$1.85 (1.5 Units)
