There's a smaller NBA slate Tuesday but still no shortage of marquee games, especially out west. Let's get right into our best bets for Tuesday night.
Lakers @ Mavs (+1.5, O/U 234)
The Lakers are coming off an NBA Cup celebration in Las Vegas over the weekend and the Mavs are playing for a second consecutive night. Who knows if the NBA Cup hangover is real, but I still expect this to be a low-scoring game given the circumstances surrounding both teams.
The over hits in 72% of Mavs games, but Dallas probably won't look like the normally potent offensive that it is Tuesday. Luka Doncic had to play 44 minutes in a relatively close game in Memphis on Monday night, and Kyrie Irving could miss a second straight game with an injury.
The game total has gone under in 62% of Lakers games. Los Angeles is great defensively with the seventh-best defensive rating but struggles offensively, especially shooting.
The Lakers rank in the bottom third in offensive rating and are the sixth-worst 3-point shooting team.
Pick: Under 234
LeBron James: Under 27.5 points
LeBron James defies all odds as he continues his dominant stretch as a soon-to-be 39-year-old. It was clear James turned it up a gear for the In-Season Tournament. He recorded 40 and 35 minutes in the quarterfinals and finals, respectively, despite averaging 33 this season.
In non-tournament elimination games, James has scored fewer than 28 points in seven straight games. This number is too high in a game where I expect James' minutes and overall effort to be reduced. The In-Season Tournament is a nice accomplishment, but the Lakers have loftier goals, and they need a healthy James down the stretch to accomplish them.
Odds: -115 (playable to -130)
Derrick White: Over 22.5 PRA
Derrick White isn't close to the Celtics' best player, but he could be their X-factor as a do-it-all guard who constantly makes the right play. He's having a career year and has embraced his role as Boston's two-guard who sometimes initiates the offense.
White's recorded at least 23 combined points, rebounds, and assists in the last six games. Cleveland has a solid defense, but with so much attention on Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, White should find a way to make his presence felt against the Cavs on Tuesday.
Odds: -110 (playable to -130)
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.
