There are five NBA in-season championship games on Tuesday’s schedule, including two of the best back-to-back air events on TNT. Tuesday’s first nationally televised game is an Eastern Conference matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by Utah vs. Utah. Lakers.
The 76ers and Lakers are favorites to win, but their opponents have played well recently. The Cavaliers have won three games in a row.
At the same time, the Jazz pushed the Suns to the brink of defeat in several consecutive games. Joel Embiid and LeBron James will have to perform at par in their respective games to avoid upsets.
The first game will air on TNT at 7:30pm ET, and if you’re looking for betting action, check out some of the best player props we’ve found on the market for both primetime games.
Tuesday’s Best NBA Player Betting: 76ers vs. Cavaliers, Jazz vs. Lakers on TNT
Our favorite player props today are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Joel Embiid under 29.5 points
- Max Strus under 14.5 points
- LeBron James outscores 24.5 points
- Jordan Clarkson over 22.5 points
Cavaliers vs. 76ers betting odds
Check out Cavaliers vs. Cavaliers live stream with 76ers betting odds from America’s top sports betting app.
Cavaliers vs. 76ers player pillars: Joel Embiid, Max Strus are the best options
Exit Joel Embiid point
Embiid does most of his damage in the paint, and the Cavaliers rank seventh in the league in points per game in the paint. As a team, they scored just 45 points in the paint and ranked just outside the top 10 in defensive efficiency.
The Cavaliers also have two outstanding defensive big men in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, who limited Nikola Jokic to 18 points on Sunday. However, teams can easily allow wide players to play in big games.
They allowed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to score 43 points, De’Aaron Fox to score 28 points, and Steph Curry to score 30 points. Embiid’s running mate Tyrese Maxey is off to a hot start this season and will likely take advantage.
Both the Cavaliers and 76ers have been the worst teams in offensive tempo so far this season, which means this game should be a struggle with Maxey getting a better share of the game. The reigning MVP is expected to score slightly more than his total against Cleveland.
More: How to Bet on the NBA | Best NBA Betting Sites
Exit Max Strus point
Max Struss scored more than 16 points in all but one game. That low mark came against a team that ranks in the top half of the league in defensive three-point shooting percentage. He appeared in games against Sacramento (25), Detroit (18) and Indiana (26).
He scored 16 points on a hot night against the Warriors, facing a team that defended three-point defense in the first half. In that game, I made 6 of 9 shots and 2 of 3 shots from outside and scored 16 points. The 76ers’ three-point defense is at an advantage, ranking 15th in the league.
The Sixers have had good nights deep in the lineup recently, but the Cavaliers were without Donovan Mitchell due to a strained hamstring. Without his ability to penetrate the ball off the court, Struss wouldn’t be able to benefit from the volume of drives and kicks that Mitchell generates.
Another factor is that Philadelphia recently returned Nicolas Batum to the lineup, and he has made Philadelphia’s defense even more formidable.
INFO: NBA Rookie of the Year Odds | NBA MVP Odds
Jazz vs. Lakers betting odds
It’s live jazz versus jazz. Lakers betting odds from top sports betting sites.
Jazz vs. Lakers player props: LeBron James and Jordan Clarkson are the best choices
LeBron James OVER point
James has been very hot from behind the three-point line recently. In the past five games, his three-point shooting percentage has been as low as 40%. That night, he made 2 of 5 three-pointers and scored 37 points.
Tonight, he’ll face a Jazz defense that ranks 20th in 3-point defense. The Jazz’s defense also ranks 23rd in points allowed in the paint, while the Lakers rank seventh in the league in points allowed in the paint per game.
A lot of the scoring in the paint comes from James, who remains one of the best players at the rim. Also working in James’ favor is the fact that the Jazz’s interior defense is struggling as they will be without starting seven-footer Walker Kessler. Kessler is nursing a sprained elbow.
In his absence, backup center Kelly Olynyk will likely be the starter. While he can fill the rim at times, he doesn’t add much resistance at the rim at this point in his career.
Everything was set up for James to have another big night and score his third consecutive 30-point game.
read: NBA winning odds
Jordan Clarkson over point
Another season, another bad start to the Lakers’ injury situation. They’re still missing defensive specialist Jared Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis is once again listed as an everyday player. Regardless of whether Davis plays or not, he is unlikely to be 100 percent due to injuries.
Davis’ injury limited the Lakers’ potential at the rim and left them without their primary defender to challenge Clarkson on the wing all night.
Clarkson has scored at least 22 points in five straight games, including three games with more than 30 points. During this time, he spent at least 33 minutes answering.
As the primary option on the Jazz’s limited roster, he’ll have free reign to keep Utah in the game while the Lakers aren’t healthy enough to make his life challenging.
Expect Clarkson to hit his listed totals against Los Angeles and do interesting things in their championship matchup.
We may receive compensation if you purchase a product or register an account through one of the links on our site