Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/16/24
At 7:30 ET, the Brooklyn Nets (10-15) will host the Cleveland Cavaliers (22-4) in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Cavaliers are favored by 10 and have a moneyline of -483, while the Nets are +367 on the moneyline. The over/under line is currently sitting at 218.5.
Brooklyn is currently on a two-game losing streak and is 10th in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is 1st in the East and 1st in the Central Division.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS BROOKLYN NETS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -10
This game will be played at Barclays Center at 7:30 ET on Monday, December 16th.
WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 126-76 in favor of the Cavaliers.
- Our projections have Donovan Mitchell finishing with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Cavaliers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.5% and knocking down 15 threes.
Can the Cavaliers Live Up to the Hype on the Road?
The Cavaliers improved to 22-4 on the season with a 115-105 win over the Wizards on Friday. Cleveland was at home and entered the game as heavy favorites, but they didn’t cover the -16.5 spread. The total score of 220 points fell short of the 232.5-point over/under line.
A key moment in the game was a 15-0 run by the Cavaliers, turning a 25-18 deficit into a 33-25 lead. Cleveland outscored Washington in each of the final three quarters, including a 28-25 edge in the 4th.
Darius Garland’s 24 points and 8 assists led the Cavaliers to a win over the Wizards, despite shooting just 35.3% from the field and 30% from three-point range. Jarrett Allen contributed 21 points on 77.8% shooting, and Donovan Mitchell added 20 points, hitting 4 threes at 36.4%.
As a team, the Cavs made 15 threes, but shot only 30% from deep and 39.6% overall. Garland scored 14 points in the 2nd quarter and added 7 more in the 4th, while Isaac Okoro chipped in 8 of his 13 points in the 3rd quarter.
The Cavaliers held the Wizards to 105 points on Friday, giving up 25 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters. Cleveland allowed 26 points in the 3rd and 29 in the 2nd.
Defensively, the Cavaliers limited the Wizards to 14 three-pointers on 35% shooting. Washington went to the line 11 times, making 9 free throws. Cleveland grabbed 34 defensive rebounds, allowing 6 offensive boards, while also recording 10 steals and 5 blocks.
Can The Nets Secure a Home Victory?
The Nets fell to 10-15 this season after a 135-119 road loss to the Grizzlies on Friday. Brooklyn entered the game as +10 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 254 points exceeded the O/U line of 227.5 by 26.5 points.
Brooklyn’s 11-0 run, which pushed their lead from 74-63 to 85-63, was a highlight. However, they struggled in the 2nd quarter, getting outscored 30-20, and couldn’t close the gap in the 4th, where they started trailing 107-95.
Dorian Finney-Smith led the Nets with 19 points and 5 made threes in their 135-119 loss to the Grizzlies, shooting 62.5% from both the field and beyond the arc. Dennis Schröder and Jalen Wilson each added 15 points, with Schröder hitting 3 threes at 42.9% efficiency.
Brooklyn connected on 20 threes, shooting 37.7% from deep and 45.7% overall. Finney-Smith and Wilson both scored 6 points in the 3rd quarter, while Noah Clowney also added 6 of his 12 points in the final period.
The Nets struggled defensively against the Grizzlies, giving up 135 points on 52% shooting. Memphis put up 39 points in the 1st quarter and 38 in the 3rd, while Brooklyn allowed 30 points in the 2nd and 28 in the 4th.
Brooklyn’s defense also allowed Memphis to hit 17 threes at a 47% clip. The Grizzlies went 14/21 from the free-throw line. The Nets finished with 33 defensive rebounds, allowing 12 offensive boards, while also recording 9 steals and 7 blocks.