The Philadelphia 76ers (8-1) and Cleveland Cavaliers (4-4) will square off in the NBA Cup tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The game will broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
The 76ers are 2.5-point favorites over the Cavaliers on the spread, with the over/under set at 229.5 total points. The 76ers are -148 moneyline favorites to win outright, while the Cavaliers are listed as +124 underdogs to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my 76ers vs. Cavaliers predictions and NBA picks for Friday, November 6.
76ers vs Cavaliers Prediction
- 76ers vs Cavaliers pick: James Harden Over 22.5 Points & Rebounds (-128)
My 76ers vs. Cavaliers best bet is James Harden to record over 22.5 points & rebounds, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
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76ers vs Cavaliers Odds
- 76ers vs Cavaliers spread: Cavaliers +2.5 (-108), 76ers -2.5 (-112)
- 76ers vs Cavaliers over/under: 229.5 (-107o / -113u)
- 76ers vs Cavaliers moneyline: 76ers -148, Cavaliers +124
76ers vs Cavaliers NBA Preview
Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview
The 76ers' defensive metrics are fascinating right now, but take them with a grain of salt.
Statistically, the Sixers boast the second-best defense in the NBA, but if you watch the games, it feels incredibly fake.
A big part of that elite rating is inflated by a hilarious scheduling quirk. The 76ers have been gifted multiple games recently where they get to literally just dump on the Bulls for 48 straight minutes.
The Bulls are playing like shell-shocked soldiers staring into the distance right now; it's basically a "Welcome to the NBA" nightmare for Caleb Wilson.
So, while the Sixers' defensive numbers look elite on paper, it's largely a mirage.
Tactically, however, Philadelphia does do an excellent job of running shooters off the line, allowing the fewest corner three-point attempts per game in the league. This naturally forces opponents into heavy on-ball creation.
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
On the Cleveland side, things are very tricky right now with their injury report.
Both Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson are listed as questionable. I am treating those tags as highly pessimistic; I'd put Allen at maybe a 40 percent chance to play and Watson even lower at around 20 percent.
Because the Cavaliers are on the front end of a back-to-back and have to play the Knicks on Saturday, there is a high likelihood they spread out their rest and sit one, if not both, of those guys.
When Jarrett Allen is off the floor, it fundamentally alters how James Harden operates in this Cleveland offense.
76ers vs Cavaliers Pick, Betting Analysis
I am backing James Harden to go over his combined points & rebounds prop of 22.5 tonight, primarily to get ahead of the Cavaliers' murky injury report.
If Allen and Watson sit, this immediately transforms into a four-star smash play because it checks every single box. With Allen off the court, Harden's usage rate and rebound rate both skyrocket.
The tactical cap here is that without Allen serving as a rim-running threat, Harden shifts away from his pass-first, facilitating role and leans much heavier into his pure scoring instincts. He has to go to his step-back jumper and isolation game much more frequently.
The Sixers allow the fewest corner threes in the league, and Harden only takes about 0.9 of those per game anyway. He is going to be forced into heavy on-ball creation and pick-and-roll scoring.
Against a 76ers defense that is vastly overrated, I expect Harden to be aggressive in hunting his own shot and cleaning up the glass — plus, this is a revenge spot for him against one of his former teams. So, we should expect maximum effort.
Pick: James Harden Over 22.5 Points & Rebounds (-128)
76ers vs Cavaliers Betting Trends
