The Cavaliers and the Thunder are two of the most surprising teams in the NBA because they’re not expected to go undefeated at this juncture of the 2024-25 campaign.
Cleveland are on top of the Eastern Conference with an 8-0 record, while Oklahoma City are on top of the Western Conference with a 7-0 record, and both teams will put their unbeaten runs on the line in their upcoming visits to New Orleans and Denver, respectively.
Elsewhere, the Pistons, Magic, Knicks, Warriors, Spurs, Lakers, Bulls, Heat, Sixers, and Raptors will also pay a visit to the Hornets, Pacers, Hawks, Celtics, Rockets, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Suns, Clippers, and Kings.
It’s another busy day in the association tomorrow, and SBOTOP is here to preview some of the biggest matchups.
Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics
The Celtics probably had this game against the Warriors circled on their calendars since their stars, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, may have a perceived vendetta against Steve Kerr.
Brown was snubbed by Team USA, while Tatum was mostly benched by Team USA during the Paris Games, confusing many people because they’re coming off a championship-winning season.
Jayson Tatum in particular is playing with a huge chip on his shoulder, especially since he’s gunning for this year’s MVP award. The five-time NBA All-Star was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 1, and he is averaging 30.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per contest.
With Jaylen Brown dealing with a hip injury, Tatum will need to carry Boston tomorrow, although he’ll be helped by Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and their bench mob.
As for the Warriors, they’re more than happy to have Stephen Curry back after a three-game absence. He and Buddy Hield form a dangerous backcourt because of their ability to knock down three-pointers at a high rate.
Betting tip: Boston Celtics Asian Handicap -8.00 @ 2.01
Cleveland Cavaliers @ New Orleans Pelicans
Speaking of the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, Donovan Mitchell became the new winner of such after a superb week in leading the Cavaliers.
The five-time NBA All-Star has scored over 20 points in all four games in Week 2. Mitchell is currently the Cavaliers’ leading scorer this season, averaging 23.1 points per game on 48.3-per cent shooting from the field and 40.3-per cent shooting from three-point land.
Mitchell is not the only Cavs player clicking, as Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are also doing well under new head coach Kenny Atkinson.
Garland is coming off a 39-point explosion in their 116-114 win over the Bucks, while Mobley and Allen are nightly double-double threats.
Cleveland aren’t expected to break the all-time regular season wins record, of course, but we don’t see their current winning streak being ended by the hobbled New Orleans team tomorrow.
The Pelicans are dealing with injuries to their key players, as CJ McCollum (adductor), Dejounte Murray (hand), Trey Murphy III (hamstring), and Herbert Jones (shoulder) are sidelined for several weeks, while Zion Williamson (thigh) and Jordan Hawkins (back) are day-to-day.
Brandon Ingram will be tasked with shouldering the heavy load for the depleted Pelicans. He has scored over 25 points in his last three games, and it may continue tomorrow, but that might not be enough against the streaking Cavaliers, according to the NBA 2024 odds.
Betting tip: Cleveland Cavaliers Asian Handicap -8.00 @ 2.02
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets
The Thunder and the Nuggets meet again after their first regular season meeting not too long ago. Oklahoma City defeated Denver with a score of 102-87 during opening night.
Not much has changed for the Thunder, as they won their next six games against the Bulls, Hawks, Spurs, Blazers, Clippers, and Magic. They’ve been particularly impressive during this stretch because of their stymieing defense, which has the best rating in the league at 93.8 (per 100 possessions).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be the best player at Oklahoma City, averaging 25.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on 47.4-per cent shooting.
As for Denver, Nikola Jokic continues to do the heavy lifting, averaging 29.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. He won’t have co-star Jamal Murray for the third straight game due to concussion protocols, per the NBA 2024 updates.
With Jamal Murray sidelined, Russell Westbrook remains as Denver’s starting point guard. The one-time NBA MVP is coming off a solid outing against the Raptors on Monday, having posted 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 60-per cent shooting.
Betting tip: Oklahoma City Thunder Asian Handicap -6.50 @ 1.92
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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