TNT doubleheader features LeBron back in Cleveland and a Doncic-Jokic MVP battle

The headline of Lakers-Cavaliers is LeBron James’ return to his hometown. In his final two homecomings to The Land, he’s put up gaudy numbers: final 12 months’s 38-point, 10-rebound, and 12-assist triple-double and 46 factors in January 2021. The Lakers are coming into The Land winners of eight of their final ten video games and an enormous win in Milwaukee to kick off their six-game east coast highway journey. Regardless of a five-game dropping streak in November, the Cavaliers have maintained their standing as among the finest groups within the East. Their again courtroom of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are averaging 50 factors mixed they usually’re buoyed by a bench of veterans like Kevin Love and Robin Lopez and Cleveland lifers like Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman.

The TNT evening cap includes a star-studded head-to-head between Dallas’ Luka Doncic visiting Mile Excessive and reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The 12-11 Mavericks are one of the confounding groups within the league. Final evening, they pounded the Phoenix Suns 130-111, however have losses to the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, and Detroit Pistons. The Nuggets come dwelling after 0-2 highway journey in New Orleans and Atlanta. They’re nonetheless one of many NBA’s finest offenses with the return of Jamaal Murray and addition of utility man Bruce Brown, however their protection ranks within the decrease sixth.

Picture by Chris Elise/NBAE through Getty Pictures

The red-hot Lakers are 4-point underdogs in Cleveland whereas the Nuggets are favored by 4.5 points internet hosting Doncic and Dallas. However in the event you’re not betting on the video games, DraftKings has a bunch of enjoyable props to place your cash on.

Whereas the MVP matchup between Doncic and Jokic is intriguing, there isn’t a greater participant in basketball proper now than Anthony Davis. Nonetheless, he’s going up towards Middle Metropolis in Cleveland. The Cavaliers can throw a revolving door of size at AD with Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and Lopez on the roster. Up till lately, Davis had balked on the concept of taking part in middle full-time, however he’s thrived over the past 9 video games. He’s averaged 35 factors and 16 rebounds and capped it off with 55 factors and 17 rebounds in a win over the Washington Wizards. The Cavs could have the depth to maintain AD in examine, however LA’s #1 possibility could produce other plans.

Our buddies at DraftKings put the over-unders on Davis at 27.5 factors (-125 over, -105 beneath), 12.5 rebounds (-110 over, -120 beneath), and a pair of.5 assists (+120 over, -150 beneath). DK additionally has a double-double wager on AD at -280 for sure and +220 for no. For what it’s value, within the Lakers’ loss to the Cavaliers a month in the past, Davis was held largely in examine with simply 19 factors on twelve subject objective makes an attempt.