NBA Preview | November 6, 2026
Friday is the second Cup Night of the NBA Cup, with nine Group Play games and a Prime Video doubleheader. Philadelphia, 8-1, visits a Cleveland team that has watched the line swing four points away from it. Oklahoma City and Memphis, both 6-2, meet after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's back-to-back 40-point games. And Portland, 6-1 and now without Ja Morant, returns to Los Angeles, where it handed the Lakers their first loss last week. Those three are free; the other six cards are in Tome Intel. All times are Eastern.
An 8-1 Philadelphia Team Visits Cleveland on Cup Night
Philadelphia 76ers @ Cleveland Cavaliers | 7:30 PM ET | Prime Video
KEY STAT
8-1
Philadelphia's record after Wednesday's 112-106 win in Detroit. The 76ers also beat Cleveland 114-106 on Oct. 22.
Philadelphia keeps winning. The 76ers won 112-106 in Detroit on Wednesday in a meeting of the East's two best records, with Jaylen Brown scoring 30, Joel Embiid 26 and 15, Tyrese Maxey 19 and LeBron James 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti are out, and Adem Bona is doubtful.
Cleveland is 4-4 after a 124-116 loss in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, when Donovan Mitchell scored 27 and James Harden had 19, nine rebounds and six assists. Jarrett Allen (contusion), Tyrese Proctor and Peyton Watson are questionable, and Nae'Qwan Tomlin and Jaylon Tyson are out.
This is James's second game against his former team this season, after Philadelphia won the first meeting by eight. The line opened with Cleveland favored and has moved four points the other way.
Philadelphia wins if Brown and Embiid keep scoring, Maxey finds his shot after a 5-of-16 night, and the 76ers win the rebounding battle.
Cleveland wins if Allen is cleared, Mitchell and Harden control the pace, and the Cavaliers' size makes Embiid work on both ends.
Lean Cleveland +1.5 (Lean), and lean the under 229.5 (Toss-up).
THE CARD · PHI @ CLE
The line PHI -1.5 · total 229.5 · DraftKings (opened with Cleveland favored by 2.5, spread moved 4 toward Philadelphia; total down 4)
Our number CLE -1.1 · total 225.7
Rest & availability PHI one day off, Barlow and Hukporti out, Bona doubtful · CLE one day off, Tomlin and Tyson out, Allen, Proctor and Watson questionable
The public 52% of tickets on PHI · 53% on the over (SportsbookReview, as of Nov. 5)
Lean CLE +1.5 (Lean) · Under ↓ 229.5 (Toss-up)
Driven by the number. The line has swung four points to Philadelphia since it opened, and our number still has Cleveland by about a point at home. That is just past our threshold; Jarrett Allen's status is the one to check before tip.
Two 6-2 Teams, and Gilgeous-Alexander's Run of 40s
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies | 8:00 PM ET | NBA League Pass
KEY STAT
43 + 42
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's points in his last two games, both against Cleveland. Oklahoma City won both.
Oklahoma City has won two straight behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who followed Monday's 43 with 42 on Wednesday in a 124-116 win over Cleveland. Ajay Mitchell added 23 and Bennett Stirtz 16. The Thunder are 6-2 and still without Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Chet Holmgren, Nikola Topić and Thomas Sorber, and Jaylin Williams (back spasms) is out too.
Memphis is also 6-2 after two straight home losses, by one point to New Orleans on Monday and 107-103 to Indiana on Wednesday. Cedric Coward and Ty Jerome scored 23 each and Zach Edey had 11 and 13. The Grizzlies have covered six of eight games. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Isaiah Stewart are out.
The matchup is Gilgeous-Alexander against a Memphis defense built around Edey, and whether the Grizzlies' depth can outlast a Thunder rotation that is missing six players.
Oklahoma City wins if Gilgeous-Alexander keeps scoring at this pace, Mitchell gives him a second option, and the Thunder win the turnover battle.
Memphis wins if Edey controls the paint, Coward and Jerome keep scoring, and the Grizzlies' depth wears down a short-handed Oklahoma City rotation.
Lean Memphis +3.5 (Strong), and lean the over 225.5 (Toss-up).
THE CARD · OKC @ MEM
The line OKC -3.5 · total 225.5 · DraftKings (unchanged from the open)
Our number MEM -6.9 · total 226.7
So far MEM 6-2 ATS
Rest & availability OKC one day off, J. Williams, Wallace, Holmgren, Topić, Sorber and Jaylin Williams out · MEM one day off, Pippen and Stewart out
The public 59% of tickets on OKC (SportsbookReview, as of Nov. 5)
Lean MEM +3.5 (Strong) · Over ↑ 225.5 (Toss-up)
Driven by the number. Two 6-2 teams, and our number has Memphis by seven at home, while the book has Oklahoma City favored on the road. Memphis has covered six of eight; Strong is the size of the gap.
Portland Returns to Los Angeles, Where It Beat the Lakers Last Week
Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers | 10:00 PM ET | Prime Video
KEY STAT
40
Points Luka Dončić scored in Wednesday's 116-103 win in Sacramento, with nine rebounds and seven assists.
Portland is 6-1 and has won without Ja Morant, who is out at least four weeks with a hamstring strain. The Blazers won 132-119 in Phoenix on Wednesday behind Damian Lillard's 25, Donovan Clingan's 24 and 11 and Deni Avdija's 21 points and 12 assists. Shaedon Sharpe is also out.
The Lakers are 7-2 after a 116-103 win in Sacramento on Wednesday, when Luka Dončić had 40, nine rebounds and seven assists and Austin Reaves added 21. Their first loss of the season came against Portland, 136-129 at home on Oct. 27.
The line opened with the Lakers by 4.5 and has come back two points toward Portland. The matchup is Dončić against Avdija, and Clingan against Walker Kessler on the glass.
Portland wins if Lillard and Avdija keep sharing the load, Clingan wins the paint, and the Blazers make the Lakers defend the three-point line.
Los Angeles wins if Dončić keeps scoring, Kessler controls the glass, and the Lakers get the result they missed on Oct. 27.
Lean Portland +2.5 (Toss-up), and lean the over 233.5 (Lean).
THE CARD · POR @ LAL
The line LAL -2.5 · total 233.5 · DraftKings (spread moved 2 toward Portland from the open, total down 5)
Our number LAL -0.8 · total 239.0
So far LAL 5-4 O/U
Rest & availability POR one day off, Morant, Sharpe and Krejci out · LAL one day off, Mamukelashvili questionable, Kessler available
The public 58% of tickets on LAL · 54% on the over (SportsbookReview, as of Nov. 5)
Lean POR +2.5 (Toss-up) · Over ↑ 233.5 (Lean)
Driven by the number. Portland won here 136-129 on Oct. 27, and our number has the Lakers by less than a point. The total has dropped five points since it opened, which leaves it more than five under our number.
The Rest of the Slate
TOME INTEL · 6 more cards
Every other Friday game gets a full card in Tome Intel: the line, our number, the early results, who is out, and our lean with its tier.
7:00 PM ET: Wizards @ Hawks · Celtics @ Hornets
8:00 PM ET: Timberwolves @ Pelicans · Raptors @ Bucks · Jazz @ Mavericks
10:00 PM ET: Spurs @ Kings
What to Watch For Friday.
Watch whether Jarrett Allen is available in Cleveland, whether Gilgeous-Alexander can keep up his scoring in Memphis, and whether Portland can beat the Lakers twice in 10 days. Group Play continues on Cup Nights through Nov. 27. That's nine cards on the side and nine on the total, three free and six in Tome Intel. We'll have the recap Saturday with every card graded.
