LeBron James will return to his old stomping grounds on Wednesday when the Lakers visit the Cavaliers at the Rocket Arena. Both teams will attempt to extend their respective winning streaks, but only one between Los Angeles and Cleveland can stay unbeaten tomorrow.
The Lakers improved to 28-17 – good for fifth in the Western Conference – after winning back-to-back games against the Mavericks and Bulls. The Cavaliers are also the fifth seed in the Western Conference after notching a 28-20 record, buoyed by their recent four-game winning streak.
It’s another busy day in the NBA, as, besides the Lakers-Cavaliers game, the Bulls, Hawks, Magic, Knicks, Hornets, Timberwolves, Warriors, and Spurs will visit the Pacers, Celtics, Heat, Raptors, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Jazz, and Rockets, respectively.
Learn more about tomorrow’s nine-game slate, as SBOTOP handpicks and previews the Top 3 games, including the top NBA 2026 odds.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James will aim to put on a show and lead his Lakers to their third consecutive win tomorrow. The 41-year-old forward is fresh from a strong performance in their 129-118 win over the Bulls on Monday, as he had 24 points (20 in the first half), five rebounds, and three assists on 9-for-19 shooting across 33 minutes of action.
Monday was also another day in the office for Luka Doncic, who had a game-high 46 points, seven rebounds, 12 assists, and eight three-pointers on 15-for-25 shooting from the field and 8-for-12 shooting from the free throw line in 38 minutes. Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart added 23 and 12 points, and all of them are expected to continue shouldering the scoring load since Austin Reaves (calf) isn’t likely to return on Wednesday.
The Cavaliers have now won six of their last seven, as they stepped up on the defensive end. During their back-to-back set against the Magic recently, they only conceded a total of 203 points while scoring 233 on the other end.
In the 114-98 home win on Monday, Donovan Mitchell went off for 45 points, four rebounds, four assists, and five three-pointers on 15-for-25 shooting from the field and 10-for-12 shooting from the free throw line in 35 minutes. Evan Mobley and Jaylon Tyson added 20 and 14 points.
Betting tip – Cleveland Cavaliers Asian Handicap -3.50 @ 1.98
New York Knicks @ Toronto Raptors
After a lacklustre run of NBA 2026 results, the Knicks turned their form around with a three-game winning run. The Mike Brown-coached squad did it through their stifling defence, as the team only conceded at least 100 points once during their unbeaten streak, including holding the Nets to 66 points last Wednesday – their most lopsided victory in franchise history.
In their 103-87 win over the Kings on Tuesday, Jalen Brunson took care of the scoring, registering 28 points, three rebounds, four assists, and four three-pointers on 9-for-17 shooting from the field in 35 minutes. Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby added 18, 17, and 15 points.
The Raptors also snapped their losing streak by winning four consecutive matches. On Sunday, they scored a 103-101 road win over the Thunder, with six players scoring double-digit points. Immanuel Quickley led the way with 23 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, and six three-pointers on 7-for-14 shooting from the field in 32 minutes. RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Scottie Barnes, and Gradey Dick contributed 14, 13, 10, 10, and 10 points.
Betting tip – Under 225.00 @ 1.93
Charlotte Hornets @ Memphis Grizzlies
Former NBA star-turned-analyst Charles Barkley “guaranteed” that the Hornets will make the play-in this year, as the team improved to 19-28 – good for 11th in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte have won three straight, including impressive routs of the Magic (124-97) and the Sixers (130-93).
Brandon Miller went off against Philadelphia on Monday, notching 30 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and six three-pointers on 9-for-11 shooting from the field. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Josh Green, Moussa Diabate, Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Collin Sexton added 13, 12, 12, 12, 11, 10, and 10 points.
In contrast, the Grizzlies have lost their last three games, as they’ve been without their star guard, Ja Morant (elbow). Memphis are coming off a 108-99 defeat against the Rockets on Monday. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama had 17 points apiece in the losing effort. GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 14, 12, and 11 points. Rookie Cedric Coward had an off night, notching only eight points on 3-for-13 shooting from the field.
Betting tip – Charlotte Hornets Asian Handicap -2.50 @ 2.05
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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