The Cavaliers will be taking on the Wizards today at 7:00 ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. This matchup features a clash of styles, with the Wizards preferring to play at a faster pace compared to the Cavaliers, who are currently one of the slower teams in the league. The Cavaliers are favored by 9.5 points at BookMaker.
Do the Wizards Stand a Chance on the Road?
As the NBA’s 14th-ranked team in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards will look to pull off the upset as they travel to take on the Cavaliers. So far, Washington has just six wins on the season and is just 6-25 as the underdog.
Today, they will not only be looking to pick up a win but also to cover the spread as 9.5-point underdogs. The betting trends for Washington are also led by their current two-game ATS winning streak. On the road, the Wizards have gone 11-7 ATS for the season.
Against other teams in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards have struggled and are just 4-21 compared to going 2-5 in non-conference matchups. Washington comes into today’s game on a four-game losing streak.
Out of their 32 games, Washington has been the underdog 31 times this season. Their average scoring margin as the underdog is -9.5 points, and they have gone on to win just three games on the road this year.
In their most recent game against the Hawks, the Wizards put up 126 points, which is higher than their season average of 116.7. Looking at their overall offensive numbers, the Wizards are 9th in field goal percentage at 48%. In terms of three-pointers, they are 15th in made and 20th in percentage.
At present, the Wizards’ defense is ranked 30th, allowing 126.2 points per game. On two point field goal attempts, the Wizards’ defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 57.6% and allowing 37.2% from beyond the arc.
- Danilo Gallinari (Questionable) Back
Can the Cavaliers Live Up to the Hype at Home?
With an overall record of 18-15, the Cavaliers will look to put an end to their two-game losing streak as they host the Wizards. Coming into the game, they are 9.5-point favorites at home.
In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers are in 7th place and sit 3rd in the Central Division. Against other teams in the East, Cleveland has gone 11-9 compared to 7-6 in non-conference matchups.
Against the spread, the Cavs have failed to cover the spread in each of their last two home games and have an overall ATS record of 15-16. As the favorite, they have a scoring margin of +2.7 PPG but have gone 8-10 ATS when favored.
The over/under record in Cleveland’s games with higher OU lines than today’s line of 239.5 is 1-0, but their games have had higher average over/under lines (223.7) than their games have averaged in points (224.7) this season.
Against the Raptors, the Cavaliers scored 121 points, shooting 48.3% from the field and hitting 12 three-pointers. Caris LeVert led the Cavaliers with 31 points, followed by Donovan Mitchell who scored 26.
In the current season, the Cavaliers defense has excelled, sitting 11th in the NBA by allowing 112.4 points per game. The Cleveland defense has allowed opponents to shoot 35.8% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 46.5% of their field goal attempts vs. Cleveland.
- Ricky Rubio (Out) Personal
- Darius Garland (Out) Jaw
- Ty Jerome (Out) Ankle
- Evan Mobley (Out) Knee
Wizards vs. Cavaliers Pick
Entering the game as underdogs with a spread of +9.5, the Wizards is our point spread pick. Our projections not only see them covering the spread but also indicate a solid chance of an outright victory. This is a good choice for those looking for a higher moneyline payout.
Pick: Take the Wizards at +9.5
The Total
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 239.5 and given that our model is projecting 222 points between the teams, we like the under.
Pick: Go Under 239.5 points (-110)
