Friday nights in mid-January are basically a haven for sports bettors and casual fans alike. Honestly, there is nothing like that feeling of flipping between four different screens while the winter wind howls outside. If you're looking for which teams are playing tonight, you've stumbled into a massive slate. We've got high-stakes NBA showdowns, a heavy NHL schedule, and some fascinating European soccer matchups.
The main event on the hardwood tonight is undoubtedly the Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the Philadelphia 76ers. It's a battle of the giants in the Eastern Conference. Tyrese Maxey is currently averaging over 30 points a game, which is just absurd, and he’ll be staring down Donovan Mitchell, who is right on his heels in the scoring race.
The NBA Slate: Stars Collide in Philly
Philadelphia is a two-point favorite at home tonight at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. If you’re into the over/under, it’s sitting at a lofty 234.5. People expect a track meet.
But it's not just the Philly show. Here is who else is hitting the court:
- New Orleans Pelicans vs. Indiana Pacers: Watch out for Tyrese Haliburton’s assist numbers here.
- LA Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors: The Raptors are under a lot of pressure to make a "win-now" move, and playing the veteran Clippers won't make that any easier.
- Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets: The Bulls are a one-point underdog on the road, trying to break a nasty three-game road losing streak.
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets: A late-night Western Conference battle that starts at 9:30 PM EST.
- Washington Wizards vs. Sacramento Kings: This one wraps up the night for the West Coast fans.
Interestingly, the Nets have Michael Porter Jr. leading the charge now, averaging 25.7 points. It’s a different look for Brooklyn this year, and they've been much more reliable at home than on the road, at least when it comes to hitting the over.
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NHL Friday: Rivalries and Ice Cold Grudges
On the ice, we have five games that are pretty much guaranteed to be physical. The Carolina Hurricanes are hosting the Florida Panthers. Carolina is currently sitting first in the Metropolitan Division, but they’re coming off a 3-0 shutout loss to St. Louis. They'll be hungry.
Rod Brind'Amour doesn't like losing two in a row.
The Detroit Red Wings are also back in action at Little Caesars Arena against the San Jose Sharks. Detroit is a heavy favorite here at -215. San Jose has been struggling, but they’ve been surprisingly decent at covering the puck line lately.
Other NHL matchups tonight:
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- St. Louis Blues vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (8:00 PM EST)
- Colorado Avalanche vs. Nashville Predators (9:00 PM EST)
- Los Angeles Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks (10:30 PM EST)
Keep an eye on the goaltending situation in Carolina. They’ve got Frederik Andersen and the rising "ace" Brandon Bussi. Bussi has been a revelation, going 16-3-1 in his first 20 starts. That’s the kind of momentum that carries a team through a cold January.
Soccer Across the Pond and Beyond
If you’re a night owl or just caught the early morning bug, the Australian A-League kicked things off with Melbourne City and Auckland. But for the afternoon and evening crowd, Europe has some gems.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is facing Lille at 3:00 PM EST. PSG is almost always a lock at home, but Lille has been known to play the spoiler role. Meanwhile, in Spain, we have a Catalan derby of sorts with Espanyol vs. Girona.
The Scottish Cup is also delivering some drama with Rangers vs. Annan Athletic. Honestly, the odds for Rangers are -50000 or something crazy like that—basically, the bookies don't give Annan a ghost of a chance. But that’s the beauty of cup football, right?
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College Hoops: The Allen Fieldhouse Atmosphere
You can’t talk about which teams are playing tonight without mentioning the Baylor Bears traveling to Lawrence to face the Kansas Jayhawks. Allen Fieldhouse is probably the loudest venue in college sports. Kansas is 12-5, while Baylor is 11-5.
Baylor has been shooting the lights out recently, hitting 59% from the field in their last outing. However, Kansas is 13th in the country in points allowed per possession at home. Something has to give.
Other notable CBB games:
- Marquette vs. DePaul (Wintrust Arena)
- Creighton vs. Providence (6:30 PM EST)
- Loyola Chicago vs. Dayton (8:30 PM EST on ESPN2)
Actionable Tips for Tonight's Games
- Check the Injury Reports: Especially in the NBA. With guys like Ja Morant being the subject of trade rumors and load management still being a thing, a lineup can change 30 minutes before tip-off.
- Look at Home/Road Splits: The Brooklyn Nets cover the spread way more often on the road than at home this season. It's a weird quirk, but worth noting if you're looking at the Bulls game.
- Weather Matters for Travel: There's some nasty weather in the Midwest. If you're looking at the Michigan State vs. Wisconsin hockey game, or the Marquette game in Chicago, keep an eye on travel fatigue.
Make sure your streaming apps are updated. Most of these games are scattered across ESPN, TNT, and regional networks like FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports). If you’re catching the 76ers vs. Cavs game, it’s a national broadcast on ESPN, so no need to worry about local blackouts for that specific marquee matchup.
Plan your snacks, set your DVRs, and enjoy one of the busiest sports nights of the year.