Atlanta Hawks (10-6) at Cleveland Cavaliers (10-6)
After a 25-point loss against the Celtics on Thursday, the Hawks responded with a 2 pt win over the Raptors on Sunday. In the OT victory, Trae Young was the standout for the home side as he finished with 33 pts and De'Andre Hunter added 22. They have no injury concerns coming into this clash so they'll likely go with the same starting 5.
The Cavs finally ended a long losing streak with a crushing 26 pt win over the Heat on Monday. Darius Garland was the standout with 25 points and as a team, they shot over 53% from the field. They will be on a back-to-back for this matchup and there are a few questionable players to look out for. Kevin Love missed the game against Miami and LeVert/Wade are both questionable as well.
This should be a close contest between two fairly similar teams and it's tough to back a winner as a result. The Cavs may struggle on a back-to-back but home-court advantage should help them out. Overall, the Over does look like the best bet. It's 14-6 in the last 20 meetings. Atlanta struggles with their defence on the road as the Over is 6-1. Meanwhile, the Cavs are 4-0 against the Over at home.
Stadium Record
Cleveland are 6-1 in their last 7 at home. Atlanta has lost 5 of their 7 at this venue.
Head to Head Record
The head-to-head is square at 5-5 since 2019.
Best Bet
New York Knicks (8-9) at Oklahoma City Thunder (7-9)
The Knicks will be looking to get back above .500 after losing their last 2 games. They've struggled to score points against the Suns and Warriors, averaging just 98 pts. Meanwhile, their defence is allowing 117 pts per game in their last 5. But if Jalen Brunson comes to play, the Knicks will be a good chance of turning it around. He's coming off 27 pts in their 21-pt loss against the Suns. Randle was very quiet with just 9 pts and 6 boards, so he'll be looking to respond in an easier matchup.
The Thunder are back on their home court this Tuesday after a 2-2 road trip across the east coast. They haven't played since Saturday as they lost to the Grizzlies by 11 but they should be fresh for the Knicks. Generally, the Thunder have been a better side at home, winning 4 of 7 and they thrashed the Raptors by 19 in their last home game. But they will be missing some depth for this matchup with Pokusevski, Mann and Bazley all ruled out.
It's hard to see much defence between these two teams and the Knicks should be able to figure out their scoring issues. The Thunder are 6-0 against the Over and 5-0 when they play at home. Over is also 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.
Stadium Record
Oklahoma City are 4-2 in their last 6 at home. New York are just 1-4 at this venue in their last 5.
Head to Head Record
The Thunder have dominated the head-to-head with 8 wins in the last 10.
Best Bet
Utah Jazz (12-6) at Los Angeles Clippers (10-7)
The Jazz will be after a 3rd straight win as they head to LA on Tuesday. They come off a thrilling 1-point win over the Suns on Saturday and on a back-to-back, they beat the Trail Blazers on the road by 5 pts. Malik Beasley was the standout performer in the win with 29 and Jordan Clarkson was also excellent with 28 pts. With Mike Conley out with injury, both shooters will get more playing time in this one as well.
The Clippers have also won back-to-back games. They got past the Pistons by 5 pts on Friday and thrashed the Spurs at home on Sunday by 22. However, Paul George picked up a knee injury in the victory. While it doesn't look too serious, he'll still be questionable for this matchup. Kawhi Leonard looks set to play his 3rd straight game in his return from a knee injury and that's a huge positive for the Clippers going forward.
The Jazz are proving to be a reliable covering team at the moment as they're 9-3 ATS in their last 12. With George under an injury cloud and Leonard not playing full minutes, the Jazz will like their chances.
Stadium Record
Los Angeles are 4-1 in their last 5 at home. Utah has lost 5 of their last 6 against the Clippers at this venue.
Head to Head Record
Since mid-2021, the head-to-head is locked at 5-5.
Best Bet
