Ethical Sports Takes put together another strong night on Friday, November 6, finishing 7–2 across nine NBA Cup matchups and improving our season record to 85–45–2 (65.4% accuracy).
Following Thursday’s perfect 2–0 showing, EST has now gone 9–2 across its last 11 predictions.
Friday brought several convincing victories, a few close contests, and two disappointing misses. Toronto’s road victory over Milwaukee was one of our better selections, while Cleveland’s dominant performance against Philadelphia caught us off guard.
Here’s how all nine predictions played out.
1. Boston Celtics 119, Charlotte Hornets 80
EST Pick: Boston Celtics — Correct
Boston made quick work of Charlotte, dominating from the opening quarter.
The Celtics jumped ahead 40–20 after the first and carried a commanding 70–39 lead into halftime. Jayson Tatum led the way with 34 points as Boston cruised to a 39-point victory.
We expected Boston’s superior roster and offensive balance to overwhelm Charlotte, and that’s exactly what happened.
2. Atlanta Hawks 139, Washington Wizards 132
EST Pick: Washington Wizards — Incorrect
Our first miss came in one of the night’s highest-scoring contests.
Washington actually started well, taking a 32–28 lead after the opening quarter. However, Atlanta responded with 38 points in the second and another 39 in the third to seize control.
The Wizards scored 38 points in the fourth quarter but couldn’t overcome Atlanta’s offensive production.
We knew this was one of our more adventurous selections, and Washington certainly made the game competitive. Unfortunately, Atlanta’s offense proved too much.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers 119, Philadelphia 76ers 95
EST Pick: Philadelphia 76ers — Incorrect
This was our most disappointing prediction of the evening.
Philadelphia entered Friday as one of the league’s strongest teams, but Cleveland delivered a convincing 24-point victory.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 23 points as Cleveland controlled much of the contest. The Cavaliers led 33–22 after the first quarter and entered halftime ahead 62–54.
Rather than mounting a comeback, Philadelphia was outscored 57–41 in the second half.
We expected a competitive matchup between two talented Eastern Conference teams. Instead, Cleveland comfortably handled the 76ers and handed us our second incorrect selection.
4. Dallas Mavericks 112, Utah Jazz 100
EST Pick: Dallas Mavericks — Correct
Dallas bounced back from Wednesday’s narrow defeat against San Antonio with a solid home victory.
The Mavericks trailed 28–26 after the first quarter, and the teams entered halftime tied at 57.
Dallas took control in the third, outscoring Utah 32–19 to build a 13-point advantage heading into the final period.
P.J. Washington led the Mavericks with 26 points, while Dallas did enough defensively to prevent Utah from mounting a comeback.
We expected a response from Dallas following its heartbreaking loss to the Spurs, and the Mavericks delivered.
5. Toronto Raptors 121, Milwaukee Bucks 107
EST Pick: Toronto Raptors — Correct
One of our favorite calls from Friday’s slate.
Toronto entered the contest following a disappointing loss to Denver, but we backed the Raptors to respond against Milwaukee.
The Bucks initially appeared in control, leading 60–51 at halftime.
However, Toronto completely changed the game in the third quarter, outscoring Milwaukee 38–27 to take a two-point lead entering the fourth.
The Raptors followed with a 32–20 final quarter to secure a convincing 14-point road victory.
We believed Toronto’s offensive versatility would create problems for Milwaukee, and the Raptors rewarded our confidence with an impressive second-half turnaround.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 115, New Orleans Pelicans 109
EST Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves — Correct
Minnesota delivered one of the closer victories of the evening.
With Anthony Edwards unavailable, the Timberwolves needed other players to step forward against a New Orleans team capable of putting up points in a hurry.
Ayo Dosunmu answered the call with 26 points, helping Minnesota remain competitive throughout the night.
New Orleans led 79–77 entering the fourth quarter, but Minnesota saved its best offensive period for last.
The Timberwolves scored 38 points in the final quarter to overcome the deficit and secure a six-point victory.
This was a satisfying selection given Minnesota’s injury concerns and the challenge of playing on the road.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder 128, Memphis Grizzlies 97
EST Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder — Correct
Oklahoma City delivered another statement victory despite its ongoing injury concerns.
The Thunder opened with 35 points in the first quarter and followed with another 36 in the second, building a commanding 71–49 halftime lead.
Ajay Mitchell led Oklahoma City with 35 points as the Thunder overwhelmed Memphis offensively.
The Grizzlies never seriously threatened to overturn the deficit, and Oklahoma City finished with a dominant 31-point victory.
We backed the Thunder’s depth and ability to execute despite missing important players. Friday provided another example of why Oklahoma City remains such a dangerous team.
8. San Antonio Spurs 124, Sacramento Kings 109
EST Pick: San Antonio Spurs — Correct
San Antonio continued its strong start to the season with a comfortable road victory over Sacramento.
Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 30 points and 14 rebounds, giving the Kings serious problems on both ends of the floor.
San Antonio scored 38 points in the first quarter and another 37 in the second, taking a commanding 75–56 lead into halftime.
Sacramento was unable to make a meaningful dent in that advantage during the second half.
We expected Wembanyama’s interior presence and San Antonio’s overall offensive talent to make the difference, and the Spurs delivered exactly that.
9. Los Angeles Lakers 124, Portland Trail Blazers 118
EST Pick: Los Angeles Lakers — Correct
Our final correct selection came in one of Friday’s most entertaining matchups.
Portland controlled the first half, building a 60–53 halftime lead after Los Angeles struggled badly from beyond the arc.
However, Luka Dončić kept the Lakers within reach, including an incredible 62-foot buzzer-beater to close the second quarter.
Los Angeles completely turned the game around in the third, outscoring Portland 34–15 to take a 12-point lead into the fourth.
The Trail Blazers fought back late, but Dončić’s 53-point performance and Austin Reaves’ important contributions helped the Lakers secure the six-point victory.
We expected Los Angeles to execute down the stretch and protect its home court. Despite a difficult start, the Lakers found a way.
EST Final Thoughts
Friday was another successful night for Ethical Sports Takes.
Seven correct predictions across nine games represents a 77.8% success rate, with several selections playing out much as we anticipated.
Boston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio delivered convincing victories, while Dallas bounced back from its previous defeat.
Toronto’s win over Milwaukee was particularly satisfying. The Raptors faced a halftime deficit but dominated the second half to reward our confidence in their ability to respond.
Minnesota also deserves recognition for overcoming New Orleans without Anthony Edwards, while the Lakers survived a determined Portland comeback.
Of course, we can’t ignore the two misses.
Washington gave Atlanta a competitive game but couldn’t slow down the Hawks’ offense. Philadelphia, meanwhile, was thoroughly outplayed by Cleveland in a result we certainly didn’t anticipate.
That’s part of making predictions. Some nights, even talented teams fail to deliver.
Nevertheless, finishing 7–2 after Thursday’s perfect 2–0 performance gives EST plenty of momentum heading into the weekend.
November 6 Record: 7–2 (77.8%)
Updated EST Season Record: 85–45–2
Season Prediction Accuracy: 65.4%
We’ll return with another slate of NBA predictions as we look to continue building on our strong start to the season.
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