A trio of NBA Cup matchups take place on Tuesday night before most of the league is in action on Wednesday for another round of NBA Cup Group Play contests.

Here’s a quick look at Tuesday’s slate:

Kawhi Leonard returned for the Clippers on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he and his squad are facing an uphill battle against Luka Doncic and company in L.A.

I’m eyeing a few plays for Tuesday’s action, including a pick for Doncic. 

Here’s a complete breakdown of Tuesday’s NBA Best Bets!

Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Los Angeles Lakers-Atlanta Hawks Moneyline Parlay (-133)

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are in a great spot to pick up a win at home on Tuesday night, as the Clippers have struggled all season on the road. 

After losing to Cleveland by 15 on Sunday, the Clippers are just 4-5 against the spread with an average scoring margin of -8.9 in their nine road games. They’ve won just two of those nine matchups outright. 

Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are all in action for the Lakers on Tuesday, which gives them a terrific floor in this game. The Lakers are 4-2 straight up and against the spread at home, and they rank 15th in the NBA in net rating this season (+2.5). The Clippers, on the other hand, are sitting at -5.4 in net rating.

This spread is a little closer than I’d expect – even with Leonard healthy – as the Clippers struggled against a banged-up Cavs team on Sunday. I’m not buying the turnaround from them on the road in this matchup. 

Atlanta Hawks

It’s hard not to love the Hawks on Tuesday against the Wizards, as Washington is 0-6 at home this season while Atlanta is 8-3 on the road.

The Hawks have done a great job without Trae Young this season, winning nine of their 13 games without, jumping way up in the Eastern Conference standings in the process.

Atlanta ranks 14th in the NBA in net rating (+2.8), which is way ahead of the Wizards (-15.5), who rank dead last in the NBA in defensive rating this season. Washington is also just 4-12 against the spread with an average scoring margin of -16.2 points per game this season.

With Atlanta off to a 7-4 start against the number on the road, I don’t mind laying the points with the Hawks if needed on Tuesday night. 

As for this play, pairing them with the Lakers brings down the parlay into a favorable zone. 

Luka Doncic OVER 17.5 Rebounds and Assists (-102)

This season, Doncic has 18 or more assists and rebounds in seven of his 12 games, averaging 8.8 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game overall.

While his duties as a playmaker have lessened a bit with LeBron James back in action, I do think Doncic is worth a look in this market with Deandre Ayton (knee) sidelined on Tuesday. The Lakers don’t have nearly as much depth at center as they’d like, and Doncic may be asked to have a bigger role on the glass in this matchup.

He’s coming off an 11-rebound game against Utah when Ayton went down after just 13 minutes, finishing with 19 rebounds and assists in that game. I’d take a shot on Doncic against a Clippers team that ranks 21st in rebounding percentage and 22nd in opponent assists per game this season.

Quentin Grimes OVER 14.5 Points (-121)

76ers guard Quentin Grimes is off to a strong start in the 2025-26 season, averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from 3.

Grimes earned his first start of the season on Sunday against the Miami Heat with VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. out, and he should be right back in the starting lineup on Tuesday with both players sidelined once again. 

In the loss to Miami, Grimes had 15 points on 14 shots and played nearly 35 minutes for the 76ers. He should have a big role in the offense on Tuesday, especially if Joel Embiid (questionable) is unable to go.

Grimes has 15 or more points in nine of his 16 games this season, and he’s averaging 11.6 shot attempts per game. With the 76ers short-handed in this matchup, Grimes’ usage may jump – like it did against Miami.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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