Cleveland Cavaliers vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 4/6/24
Tip-off for this non-conference matchup between the Cavaliers and Lakers is set for 3:30 ET. The Lakers (-210) are favored by 5 points over the Cavaliers (+172), with the over/under line set at 228.5.
Los Angeles is currently 9th in the Western Conference at 44-33 and have won three straight games. Cleveland is 3rd in the East at 46-31. SN-LA will have the TV coverage for this game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -5
This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena at 3:30 ET on Saturday, April 6th.
WHY BET THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 118-112 in favor of the Lakers.
- Our projections have LeBron James finishing with LeBron James points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
- From the field, we have the Lakers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.6% and knocking down 14 threes.
Can the Cavaliers Lock in a Win at Los Angeles?
In their last game, the Cavaliers lost to the Suns by a score of 122-101. The O/U line for that game was 226.5 points, and the teams combined for 223 points. Cleveland was a 6-point underdog in that game.
This season, the Cavaliers have an O/U record of 38-38-1, and their games have averaged a combined 222.5 points. Today’s O/U line of 228.5 is higher than the average line in their games (222.8).
Cleveland has gone 11-16 as the underdog this season and is 13-13 ATS as the underdog. They have lost four straight games against the spread as the underdog.
In the Eastern Conference standings, the Cavaliers are in 3rd place with a record of 46-31. Within the Central Division, they are in 2nd place.
On the road, the Cavaliers have a record of 22-17, and they are 18-19 ATS on the road. In non-conference games, they are 16-11 compared to 30-20 against the East.
When it comes to scoring, the Cavaliers are averaging 112.6 points per game this season, which is 19th in the NBA. However, their offense has been slightly better on the road, where they are averaging 110.9 points per game compared to 114.3 at home.
In terms of pace, Cleveland is 21st in the league at 96.9 possessions per game. They have also been an above-average shooting team, ranking 12th in field goal percentage at 48%. From beyond the arc, the Cavs are 7th in made threes but have hit just 36% of their attempts.
When it comes to getting to the free-throw line, the Cavaliers are 25th in the NBA in attempts. They are also 22nd in offensive rebounds and have made the 8th most two-point field goals at a 56% clip.
Coming into the game, the Cavaliers defense has held opposing team’s to fewer points than the league average in 37.7% of their games. Currently, they are 7th in the NBA at 109.9 points per game allowed. In terms of two point field goal attempts, the Cavaliers defense has allowed a shooting percentage of 52.2% while allowing 36.8% from downtown.
Can Los Angeles Secure a Home Victory?
In their last three games, the Lakers have gone 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread. Today, they are favored by 5 points and have been favored in their last seven games. Their ATS record as the favorite is 19-24 this season.
Los Angeles’ O/U record for the season is 44-33, and the over has hit in their last two games. This year, their games have averaged 235.4 points per game compared to today’s O/U line of 228.5.
The Lakers are currently 9th in the Western Conference with a record of 44-33. In the Pacific Division, they are in 4th place. Against other Western Conference teams, they are 25-23 and 19-10 in non-conference games.
Los Angeles’ most recent win came against the Wizards, with a final score of 125-120. The Lakers were favored by 13 points in that game. The combined scoring of 245 points was well above the O/U line of 236.5.
Heading into the game, the Lakers are 7th in scoring at 117.9 points per game. So far, they have outscored the NBA scoring average in 55.8% of their games. At home, the Lakers are averaging 119.1 points per game.
When it comes to pace, the Lakers are 2nd in the league at 101.2 possessions per game. They have also been efficient on offense, ranking 3rd in field goal percentage at 49%.
One area where the Lakers have struggled is offensive rebounding. They are last in the NBA in offensive rebounds, averaging just 8.2 per game. In terms of assists, the Lakers are 6th in the league at 28.5 per game.
On defense, the Lakers are ranked 23rd in the NBA this season. So far, they have given up more points than the NBA scoring average in 57.1% of their games. Inside the arc, the Lakers defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 54.2% and 37.3% from three-point territory.