Our Top College Football, NBA and NHL Bets of the Day + Best NFL Matchups of Week 10

And the Bulls are one of the NBA’s early-season surprises

In today’s newsletter…

1. Leading Off: NBA Cup is back tonight

2. Bets to Watch: Insights on CFB, NBA and NHL plays

3. Top 10: The best NFL matchups of the week

4. Public Money: Bettors are backing NBA road teams tonight

5. Overtime: LeBron James could be back soon

1. Leading Off

There are 11 NBA Cup matchups tonight, and five of them feature double-digit favorites. The unique format and early season timing have created wild swings in the odds. The Raptors, Celtics, Bulls, Thunder, Lakers, and Nuggets are the current favorites to win their groups and head to the quarterfinals, with Oklahoma City (-600), Los Angeles (-145), and Toronto (-130) showing the shortest odds.

The Bulls are one of just two teams with only one loss on the young season (OKC is 8-1), but their early success has translated only to their NBA Cup odds. Chicago is +210 to win East Group C, ahead of the Bucks (+290), Knicks (+300) and Heat (+410), yet they're fourth out of five teams at +1500 odds to win the Central Division.

Chicago is an underdog (+4, -108) tonight at Milwaukee, and a win would put the Bulls in the driver's seat in their group while proving their hot start isn't a fluke. Guard Josh Giddey, who signed a $100 million contract in the offseason, is having a breakout start to the campaign, averaging 23.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists on 49.6% shooting. Tonight's matchup will show us if Chicago's success is real or just early-season noise.

— Abe Rakov

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2. Bets to Watch

USC is 3rd in Passing Success Rate, Maiava Has Thrown Multiple TDs in 6 of 8 Games

By Todd Cordell

Raptors F Brandon Ingram over 5.5 rebounds (-108 at DraftKings)
Ingram has piled up the rebounds in his first season as a member of the Raptors. He is averaging 6.1 per game and has gone over…

3. Top 10

Eagles vs. Packers Highlights Feast or Famine Week 10 Slate in the NFL

Week 10 in the NFL is all or nothing: Some of the best matchups of the season are on tap, but the slate features a slew of games that could be duds. Here are the 10 best games of the rest of the week:

1. Eagles (6-2, 3-1 Away) vs. Packers (5-2-1, 3-1 Home): Monday Night Football is our best matchup of the week, with two teams battling for the No. 1 seed in the NFC facing off. The Packers are very good, but their two losses are head scratchers: 13-10 at Cleveland and 16-13 vs. Carolina. It’s unclear how and why their offense just fell apart against a bad and average opponent. Eagles fans completely panicked after two losses in a row to the Broncos and Giants, but after two more wins, Philadelphia looks more like what we expected this year.

2. Patriots (7-2, 4-0 Away) vs. Buccaneers (6-2, 2-1 Home): The Patriots have won six games in a row and quarterback Drake Maye has played himself into MVP contention. The Bucs were in a lot of close games to start the season, and got lucky, but their last two victories have been comfortable. Quarterback Baker Mayfield’s two interceptions are second to the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, among regular starters.

3. Rams (6-2, 3-1 Away) vs. 49ers (6-3, 2-1 Home): The Rams have come a long way since their 26-23 home loss to the 49ers early last month. They’ve scored 34+ the past two games and have allowed 20 total points across their past three. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy remains questionable, but backup Mac Jones has performed admirably in his place.

4. Steelers (5-3, 2-1 Away) vs. Chargers (6-3, 3-2 Home): Sunday Night Football should be a good one, as the Steelers stopped a two-game slide with an impressive win over the previously 7-1 Colts. The Chargers defense has been solid most of the season, other than giving up 38 points to those same Colts and 27 to the hapless Dolphins.

5. Ravens (3-5, 1-2 Away) vs. Vikings (4-4, 1-2 Home): Have the Vikings righted the ship with quarterback J.J. McCarthy under center? Can the Ravens really come back and win the division with Lamar Jackson healthy? This game will tell us a lot about both teams.

6. Jaguars (5-3, 2-1 Away) vs. Texans (3-5, 2-2 Home): This matchup might be more close than good, as the Texans allow the fewest yards per game in the league and the Jaguars will be without star rookie Travis Hunter.

7. Falcons (3-5) vs. Colts (7-2): This probably won’t be the most interesting game on the field, but it’s being played in Berlin and is a morning kickoff in the U.S., so you might as well turn it on.

8. Lions (5-3, 2-2 Away) vs. Commanders (3-6, 2-2 Home): Honestly, we’re just running out of compelling matchups for the week, so these next three are stretches. Without quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders likely won’t be able to keep this one close. The Lions have the Eagles coming up next week, so they’ll want to get out of Week 10 easily and unscathed.

9. Giants (2-7, 0-5 Away) vs. Bears (5-3, 2-1 Home): Chicago is still right in the middle of the playoff hunt but doesn’t have a great win, so it’s still unclear how good they are this year. The Giants are clearly not very good, but if you haven’t watched rookie Jaxson Dart play yet now is as good of a time as any.

10. Cardinals (3-5, 2-2 Away) vs. Seahawks (6-2, 2-2 Home): Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold picked up where he left off after being discarded by Minnesota. He has a completion percentage over 70%, has thrown for over 2,000 yards already and has 16 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. Arizona just beat Dallas, but what does that really mean this season?

4. Public Money

Spread Bettors are Backing 4 NBA Road Teams Tonight, Including an Underdog

NBA

• Cavaliers (-13.5, -112) vs. Wizards (+13.5, -108): 79% of the money and 68% of the bets are with Cleveland

  • CLE: 2-6-0, WAS: 1-6-1

• Celtics (+3.5, -114) vs. Magic (-3.5, -106): 61% of the money and 68% of the bets are with Boston

  • BOS: 3-5-1, ORL: 2-6-0

• Rockets (-3, -110) vs. Spurs (+3, -110): 71% of the money and 58% of the bets are with Houston

  • HOU: 5-2-0, SA: 3-2-2

• Pistons (-10.5, -110) vs. Nets (+10.5, -110): 65% of the money and 58% of the bets are with Detroit

  • DET: 6-2, BKN: 3-5

• Hornets (+5, -114) vs. Heat (-5, -106): 64% of the money and 62% of the bets are with Miami

  • CHA: 4-4-0, MIA: 5-2-1

CFB

• Houston (-1.5, -105) vs. UCF (+1.5, -115): 71% of the money and 73% of the bets are with Houston

  • HOU: 6-3, UCF: 4-4

• Tulane (+3.5, -110) vs. Memphis (-3.5, -110): 73% of the money and 82% of the bets are with Memphis

  • TUL: 4-4, MEM: 8-1

• Northwestern (+14.5, -114) vs. No. 19 USC (-14.5, -105): 72% of the money and 63% of the bets are with USC

  • NU: 6-2, USC: 4-4

NCAAM

• No. 19 Kansas (+1.5, -120) vs. No. 25 UNC: -1.5, -102: 72% of the money and 62% of the bets are with Kansas

5. Overtime

In the News 

• LeBron James can practice again with the Lakers and will be re-evaluated for his ability to return to the lineup in one to two weeks, the Associated Press reports. James hasn’t practiced since early in training camp due to sciatica. The Lakers have the 2nd-best record in the West at 7-2 in his absence.

• ESPN has a rundown of the top 50 MLB free agents, along with contract projections. Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker is No. 1 with a projected contract of 11 years worth $418 million. And Justin Verlander, who will be 43 on Opening Day, is 50th (1 year, $13 million).

• An NCAA men’s basketball record was set yesterday when 7-foot-9 Florida center Olivier Rioux took the floor. The redshirt freshman is the tallest Division 1 player to get playing time, though he only had two minutes of action.

• The Rockies are hiring Cleveland Browns’ Chief Strategy Officer and former MLB executive Paul DePodesta to revamp baseball operations for one of the worst teams in baseball, ESPN reports. Multiple assistant GMs reportedly turned down the job because of how long the rebuild will likely take. DePodesta was named the Dodgers GM in 2004 at 31 years old.

What to Watch (times are ET)

• 7pm: No. 19 Kansas vs. No. 25 UNC (NCAAM) on ESPN (or Charlotte FC vs. New York City FC on Apple TV)

• 7:30pm: Rockets vs. Spurs on Prime

• 8pm: Houston vs. UCF (CFB) on FS1

• 9pm: Northwestern vs. No. 19 USC (CFB) on FOX (or Tulane vs. Memphis (CFB) on ESPN)

• 10pm: Warriors vs. Nuggets on Prime