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For those of you not paying attention, and there are a lot of you, the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup games are Tuesdays and Fridays. Group play of the 2024 NBA Cup on Tuesday features the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers visiting the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, the other five NBA games on Tuesday’s slate are marred by injuries. 

Two NBA Best Bets for November 19: 

  • Boston Celtics -5 (-110) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers at FanDuel via X, risking 1.1 units (u).
  • Memphis Grizzlies -6 (-108) vs. Denver Nuggets at DraftKings, risking 1.08u.

Cavaliers at Celtics (-5), 7 p.m. ET

Hopefully, you follow me on X because I gave out Boston -5 (-110) as an official “best bet” earlier this morning. The Celtics will close at a higher number, so I had to act quickly. As of 1:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, Boston is -5.5, and I’d still bet the Celtics up to -6. Yet, I’m grading this bet at “Boston -5” since I gave it out to my X audience. 

Even though I didn’t have time to preview Cavaliers-Celtics before placing the bet, my analysis is straightforward. The 15-0 Cavs have to lose eventually. In Boston, vs. the reigning NBA champs is the most likely time that happens. And, usually, the winning team also covers the spread. 

Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum dunks the ball on the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum dunks the ball on the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

Also, Cavaliers-Celtics on Tuesday will have a playoff-like atmosphere since teams are taking the Emirates NBA Cup seriously and Boston has to be motivated to end Cleveland’s undefeated season at home. Despite their 15-0 record, the Cavs are the fifth betting favorite to win the NBA title on DraftKings (+1200), and the Celtics are first (+280). 

Plus, Boston was a -12.5 home favorite over Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. Both teams were missing their starting bigs: Cavaliers C Jarrett Allen and Boston C Kristaps Porzingis. Granted, Allen will play Tuesday, and KP is injured and hasn’t played a game this season. But, the Celtics should be at least -7.5 favorites here. 

Despite not having Porzingis, the Celtics are still first in net player-driven team ratings at DunksAndThree.com, which accounts for strength of schedule, and the Cavs are fifth. Most importantly, NBA games are glorified 3-point shootouts. Boston has a +6.6 differential in threes made per game, and Cleveland is +1.5. 

Prediction: Boston 120, Cleveland 111

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Nuggets at Grizzlies (-6), 8 p.m. ET

Nikola Jokić will miss his third straight game Tuesday for personal reasons and Denver PF Aaron Gordon is out for several weeks. The Nuggets are 7-5 straight up (SU) and 4-7-1 against the spread (ATS) even with Jokic’s epic season thus far. The Joker is the favorite to win his fourth NBA MVP while averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists. 

He leads the NBA in rebounds, assists, and 3-point percentage (56.4%). Since the Nuggets are only 4-7-1 ATS with Jokic playing in 10 games, I’ll fade them sans Jokic. Memphis is banged up as well. The Grizzlies are missing All-Star PG Ja Morant, C Zach Edey, and 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart. 

Memphis Grizzlies SG Desmond Bane daps up PF Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. the Brooklyn Nets at FedExForum. (Petre Thomas-Imagn Images)

Memphis Grizzlies SG Desmond Bane daps up PF Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. the Brooklyn Nets at FedExForum. (Petre Thomas-Imagn Images)

However, they had injury problems last season, so the Grizzlies are used to playing without their best guys. Memphis is 8-6 SU and 9-5 ATS even though Morant has only played eight games and SG Desmond Bane has played in just seven. But, Bane and PF Jaren Jackson Jr. are in the projected starting 5. 

Bane is averaging a career-best 23.7 points in 42 games last season, and Jackson won the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Finally, with all due disrespect to Nuggets PG Jamal Murray, Bane and Jackson are the two best players on the floor Tuesday. 

Prediction: Memphis 119, Denver 108

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Follow me on X (or Twitter, whatever) @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants. I’ll add bets to my NBA 2024-25 betting record via X all season.