A season full of high-scoring individual performances continued on Monday, as Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell put up 71 points in a 145-134 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls. That was the most points in a game by an NBA player in a game since January 22, 2006, when Kobe Bryant dropped 81 on Toronto. The record, which has stood since March 2, 1962, still belongs to Wilt Chamberlain. Thirteen of the 71 points came in overtime. He is now the seventh player to score at least 70 points in a game. Going into Tuesday night, check out our top two NBA betting picks.
NBA News: Week 12 Betting Preview
Washington Wizards (+7.5) at Milwaukee Bucks (O/U 229.5) (8:00 pm ET)
Washington (17-21) beat Milwaukee on Sunday night, 118-95, and they turn around and face the Bucks again. The Wizards are 9 ½ games out of first in the East, in tenth place. They score 112.1 points per game, which ranks 20th in the league. Kristaps Porzingis, last week’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week, has flourished in D.C., scoring 22.2 points per game while shooting 47.8% overall. They do best inside the arc, shooting just 34.5% from behind the arc, and their free-throw percentage (76.7%) is just 23rd in the league.
Milwaukee (23-13) is third in the East, 2 ½ games back of Boston. They score slightly more than Washington (112.4 ppg, 18th overall), while their shooting percentage (45.6%) is just 24th. Giannis Antetokounmpo, once again, is the team’s top offensive weapon, shooting 53.3% overall and scoring 32.1 points per contest. However, he remains questionable for Tuesday’s game with a knee injury, so you will want to check the injury report again before locking in a wager. Milwaukee also has a hard time shooting from outside, making just 34.2% of their three-balls. Their free-throw shooting (74.1%) is even worse than the Wizards’. Their defense has been their strength, as they permit 110.7 points per game, sixth-best in the league, and they are second in rebounding (48.8 boards per game).
Sacramento Kings (+2.5) at Utah Jazz (O/U 242.5) (9:00 pm ET)
Sacramento (19-16) edged Utah on Saturday, 126-125, although they failed to cover as three-point favorites at home. That ended a six-game homestand in which they won the last two, beating Denver as well. They started their road trip on Sunday but lost by 10 in Memphis, making only 40.6% of their field goals while allowing 21 offensive boards and permitting 64 points in the paint. De’Aaron Fox scored 19 points and dealt out six assists, but he also coughed up five turnovers. Domantas Sabonis put up 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes had five rebounds to go along with his 16 points, but the problems in the paint doomed the Kings.
Utah (19-20) has dropped four in a row, including a 126-123 loss at home to Miami that featured a buzzer-beater by Tyler Herro. The Jazz made just 43.2% of their shots overall, although they did go 17 of 40 from behind the arc, while permitting a 50.6% shooting percentage by the Heat. Utah lost the paint scoring battle by 22 points despite Lauri Markkanen snatching 14 boards to go along with his 29 points. In their last eight games, the Jazz have dropped six games and failed to cover five. If you like Utah, you see them having a little better luck with their shooting and doing a better job on the glass. Jazz to win and cover.
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