More intense NBA action is coming our way, with the league’s 2014-15 title-game finalists each appearing on tonight’s slate.
Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are sitting pretty atop the Eastern and Western conferences’ standings, respectively. However, both the Detroit Pistons and the Toronto Raptors are just as hungry for more wins, and they’ll get their separate opportunities of upending one of the league’s finest ball clubs.
Before placing your stakes on their matches, first let’s take a brief look at how the Cavs and Pistons square up, and then check out the prospects of the Raptors in their attempt to put an end to the Warriors’ unbeaten streak.
And let’s not forget about all the hard-hitting action in the NFL. Check out our previews for Week 11’s marquee battles in Buffalo vs. New England and Green Bay vs. Minnesota to get a nice jump start to all your upcoming football betting action.
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons (7:30 PM ET)
[sc:NBA240banner ]A six-game road trip early on into this season ended on a sour note for the Detroit Pistons, who lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on the final game of the trek, 97-85, on Sunday. After going 5-1 to start the season with victories in the first two games of the West Coast swing, Detroit is now in a four-game losing skid.
Detroit’s not-so-secret weapon, Andre Drummond, has continued being a beast, though. Drummond had another monster game on Sunday with 17 points and 17 rebounds, giving him his 10th-consecutive game with a double-double in as many contests this season. Tonight, he’ll lead the Pistons for their first game back in Motown in almost two weeks against the defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers, who are coming off a stinging loss of their own.
The Cavs saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end in a 108-105 double-OT loss to the Bucks on Sunday in Milwaukee. LeBron James scored 37 points and grabbed 12 boards, but only shot 13-of-27 from the floor, 6-of-12 from the line, and did not manage to score a point in the final three minutes in the loss.
Even with the defeat, the Cavs are still playing some great basketball. Both of their losses this season were decided by just three points or less (remember that the Bucks needed two extra periods to take them out on Sunday), and they have the Eastern Conference’s best point differential with a plus-7.2 mark.
The Cavs are 6-1 (5-2 ATS) over their last seven games against the Pistons.
Writer’s Prediction
Cleveland sends Detroit to its fifth-straight loss, 102-94.
Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors (10:30 PM ET)
The Toronto Raptors’ five-game West Coast road trip did not get off on the right foot, as they fell to the Sacramento Kings this past Sunday, 107-101. Buthe good news for Toronto is that Kyle Lowry did another solid job of running the point. Lowry had 22 points (6-of-12 shooting from behind the arc), seven assists and four steals in the loss.The Raps will need Lowry to be at his best tomorrow, as the Golden State Warriors lie in wait, ready to bounce back from their own shoddy performance this past Saturday.
If it wasn’t for Andre Iguodala’s three-point shot before the end of regulation, Golden State would have lost its first game of the season. But Iguodala connected from deep indeed and tied the game up, and the rest of the Warriors ran away in OT, 107-99, against the struggling Brooklyn Nets. Draymond Green earned his second-career triple-double on Saturday with his 16 points, 10 boards and 12 assists. He also had a season-high four blocks in the win.
There seems to be no clear answer yet from the rest of the league for these 11-0 Warriors, who have the league-best point differential at plus-16.3 – almost six points or two scoring possessions more than the next team behind them in the rankings. Golden State tops in the NBA in both assists and points scored per game. Oh, and haven’t we mentioned that the Warriors have yet to lose at home this season, and have only lost four games in Oakland dating back to all of last season, including the playoffs?
Golden State is a perfect 10-0 SU/ATS in its last 10 home games against the Raptors, with the total going over in eight of those contests.
Writer’s Prediction
Make that 12-straight victories for Golden State; 113-97.
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