Top NBA Picks and Predictions Today (Back Cavs and Bulls to Win, Total in Jazz-Clippers)
By Peter Dewey
There are just four NBA games on Sunday, but there are a few betting opportunities that I love, especially with road teams.
The Chicago Bulls could be a sneaky upset pick on Sunday, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are in a favorable spot against the Los Angeles Lakers in L.A.
Here are some of the top picks for Sunday's action:
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds, Prediction and Pick
These two teams are at opposite ends of the standings so far this season, and the Lakers’ awful shooting is a big reason why.
Los Angeles is 29th in the NBA in offensive rating and dead last in effective field goal percentage, mainly because of the lack of 3-point shooting on the roster.
That’s a major difference from Cleveland, which ranks seventh in both offensive rating and effective field goal percentage while playing the league’s No. 2 defense so far in the 2022-23 campaign.
Even if Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland miss this game, Caris LeVert, Kevin Love, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are still a formidable offense to deal with. The Cavs absolutely locked up the Pistons without their two stars on Friday, holding them to just 88 points.
I won’t officially lay the points until we know Garland or Mitchell’s status, but Cleveland should win this game.
Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors Odds, Prediction and Pick
Both of these teams are top-10 in the NBA in net rating this season, but losing Siakam is a huge blow to Toronto’s lineup. Siakam is averaging 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game this season, so Toronto will have to lean on several players to fill the void left by his absence.
The Bulls should benefit from Siakam missing this game, as they can go to a smaller lineup, which has been their best option so far this season.
Both of these teams come into this game in the top eight in the NBA in defensive rating as well, but I can’t get behind Toronto as a favorite with Siakam out. Sure, Scotti Barnes, OG Anunoby and company can help replace some of that production, but Siakam has been playing like a surefire All-Star early on this season.
I like Chicago to pull off the road win on Sunday.
Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Clippers Odds, Prediction and Pick
Instead of taking a side in this game, I’m actually going to lean towards the UNDER, as the Clippers have played just one game all season that went over a combined score of 220 points.
The Jazz (No. 8 in offensive rating) have been an impressive offense this season, but they face a Clippers team that is fourth in the NBA in defensive rating so far in the 2022-23 campaign.
There are a few reasons why I love the UNDER, starting with the Clippers’ league worst offensive rating.
Los Angeles doesn’t put up a ton of points, but it’s been able to keep games low-scoring on the other end, allowing just 106.2 points per game.
The Clippers also play at a slow pace (20th in the NBA) and that should feed into Utah’s game plan as well, as the Jazz are 17th in pace.
If the Clippers can control the pace, I think this game is closer to a 105-100 matchup rather than another one of Utah’s 130-point games.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.