The New York Knicks are the slight betting favorite to win the second edition of the NBA’s unique in-season tournament, but the Oklahoma City Thunder and six other NBA teams will have something to say about that.
Read on as I break down each quarterfinal matchup and share my best NBA predictions for the NBA Cup quarterfinals, which begin Tuesday night.
Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.
NBA Cup Quarterfinals predictions and best bets for Tuesday
- Damian Lillard over 3.5 made threes: +120 at DraftKings
- Jalen Suggs 20+ points: +100 at FanDuel
- P.J. Washington over 1.5 made threes: +112 at FanDuel
Damian Lillard over 3.5 made three-pointers
Best odds: +120 at DraftKings
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is heating up. That’s good for the Bucks and bad for the Magic defense. Orlando allows the fewest three-point attempts per night but is 14th in three-point field goal percentage.
Lillard is making 37% of his 9.3 attempts per game from downtown. He has drained at least four three-pointers in five of his last six. This is a must-win game and the type of game where the All-Star guard usually shines. Lillard averages 3.7 made threes across his previous 10 games and is a good bet to knock down four threes at a reasonable price.
Jalen Suggs to score 20+ points
Best odds: +100 at FanDuel
The Orlando Magic are missing buckets with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner out of action. The two have been ruled out for Tuesday, but guard Jalen Suggs has picked up his scoring in their absence.
Suggs has scored at least 20 points in both games without Wagner on the floor. He’s up against a Milwaukee defense he can score buckets against. According to HashTagBasketball, Milwaukee allows nearly 25 points per game to shooting guards. I like Suggs to continue lighting it up for Orlando.
P.J. Washington over 1.5 made threes
Best odds: +112 at FanDuel
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington went 0-for-6 from downtown Saturday night at Toronto, but I like his chances to drain at least two three-pointers against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Before the Toronto game, Washington drained at least two three-pointers in his previous five games. Washington is making 36% of his four attempts per night from downtown, and his percentage spikes to nearly 40% on the road.
The Mavs likely will be facing a deficit, and Washington faces a Thunder defense that allows 30% success from downtown. I expect to see Washington clear 2+ triples tonight.
NBA Cup quarterfinals moneyline odds analysis
Tuesday’s first quarterfinal features the Milwaukee Bucks and the injury-riddled Orlando Magic. The Bucks are nearly double-digit favorites for Tuesday’s home clash at Fiserv Forum and probably should be, as they’ve won eight of their last 10 games.
The Dallas Mavericks are slight road underdogs when they visit Loud City for a must-win Tuesday matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas is riding a seven-game winning streak and meets a Thunder group with the highest point differential in the NBA (+11.9).
On Wednesday night, the Atlanta Hawks will play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are big favorites to exact revenge for their Nov. 6 loss to the Hawks. Atlanta has defeated NY in two straight and saw a six-game winning streak snapped Sunday by the Denver Nuggets.
Wednesday’s nightcap features the Golden State Warriors, who seek their third consecutive victory this season and 10th consecutive victory overall against the slightly favored Houston Rockets. The Rockets have dropped two of their last three and could be without Fred VanVleet for the second consecutive night with a knee injury.
Here are the latest odds for the eight remaining teams to win the NBA Cup:
- Oklahoma City Thunder (+370 at DraftKings)
- New York Knicks (+325 at Caesars)
- Milwaukee Bucks (+450 at BetMGM)
- Houston Rockets (+750 at BetMGM)
- Dallas Mavericks (+900 at DraftKings)
- Golden State Warriors (+850 at FanDuel)
- Atlanta Hawks (+2500 at DraftKings)
- Orlando Magic (+3500 at DraftKings)