A contender matches up with a pretender on Friday as the Cleveland Cavaliers get set to face the Philadelphia 76ers.
The pregame narrative: Cleveland lost two nights ago in Houston but should have a much softer landing in Philly. I like the Cavs to cover an alt spread, Donovan Mitchell to can a few 3s and Tyrese Maxey to stay hot as a scorer.
Check out my Cavaliers vs. 76ers same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 24.
Cavaliers vs. 76ers predictions
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Parlay: Cavaliers -7.5 + Mitchell over 2.5 threes + Maxey over 26.5 points (+290)
Cavaliers -7.5 (-205): If you’re a Sixers fan, just be thankful that the 2025 first-round pick is top-six protected.
Because if things continue trending the way they are right now, an upper-tier lottery pick is absolutely within reach.
Philadelphia (15-27 SU, 14-28 ATS) is on a nine-game ATS losing skid that includes eight outright losses. The Sixers have lost their past five games by a combined 84 points.
Bettors can take comfort in this alt spread by knowing that Cleveland (36-7 SU, 29-14 ATS) has covered the number in both matchups against Philly this year.
Also, keep in mind that the Sixers tend to fold when they’re supposed to. They own a 6-16-2 ATS record as underdogs, per Team Rankings.
SGP legs
Mitchell over 2.5 threes (-250): Coming off a 1-for-8 shooting performance from deep, Mitchell should bounce back tonight.
He torched Philly in both prior matchups this season, canning 9-of-23 threes (39.1%) and cashing this bet both times.
Mitchell isn’t just a volume shooter, but the volume certainly doesn’t hurt.
- He’s averaging 9.1 attempted threes per game (12th in the NBA).
- Mitchell has 3+ threes in 17/22 games on 40.2% shooting since Dec. 1.
Another way to contextualize Mitchell’s shot volume is this: He’s attempted seven-plus 3s in 35 of 41 games. Any time he’s at or above that amount, I’ll feel good about this pick.
Maxey over 26.5 points (-167): Even if the Cavs win comfortably, Maxey should make his mark. He plays huge minutes and takes a bunch of shots, and frankly, the Sixers don’t have a reasonable alternative.
Joel Embiid rarely plays, Jared McCain is out for the year, and Paul George hasn’t performed as advertised.
The result? A 30.0% usage rate for Maxey, which is the 11th-highest in the NBA (minimum 20 games played).
Maxey is earning his opportunities right now, scoring over 26.5 points in eight straight games. He also cashed this bet against the Cavs on Dec. 21 while shooting 5-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Without Embiid, Maxey is averaging 27.8 PPG this season, clearing this total in 16 of 25 games.
Picks made at 11:10 a.m. ET 01/24/2025
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.