Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Pick & Prediction 2/20/25

At 7:30 ET, the Brooklyn Nets (20-34) will host the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-10) in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Cavaliers are currently favored by 13 points, and the over/under line is set at 225.5.

Brooklyn has won three straight games and is 12th in the Eastern Conference. On the other hand, Cleveland is on a four-game win streak and sits atop the East standings.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS BROOKLYN NETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -13

This game will be played at Barclays Center at 7:30 ET on Thursday, February 20th.

WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 131-97 in favor of the Cavaliers.
  • Our projections have Donovan Mitchell finishing with 23 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Cavaliers finishing with a field goal percentage of 49.0% and knocking down 16 threes.

Can the Cleveland Offense Score Enough on the Road?

The Cavaliers improved to 44-10 this season with a 131-108 road win over the Raptors on Wednesday. Cleveland, favored by 13 points, covered the spread, while the game’s total of 239 points narrowly exceeded the O/U line of 236.5.

A 13-0 run early in the game helped the Cavs take control, as they jumped out to a 41-17 lead after the 1st quarter. The Raptors kept things closer in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, but Cleveland entered the 4th with a 100-78 lead and edged Toronto 31-30 in the final period.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 21 points in their win over the Raptors, despite shooting just 37.5% from the field and 22.2% from three. De’Andre Hunter contributed 18 points, hitting 4 threes at 44.4%, and Sam Merrill added 16 points, also making 4 threes.

The Cavs made 18 threes as a team, shooting 34% from beyond the arc and 48.5% overall. Max Strus scored 12 of his 14 points in the 1st quarter, while Mitchell added 7 of his 21 in the opening period.

Defensively, the Cavaliers set the tone early, holding the Raptors to just 17 points in the 1st quarter. Cleveland allowed 26 points in the 2nd quarter, but their defense slipped in the 3rd and 4th, giving up 35 and 30 points, respectively. Overall, they allowed 108 points on 46% shooting from the field.

The Cavaliers did a solid job defending the three, limiting Toronto to 10 made threes on 34% shooting. They sent the Raptors to the line 21 times, where they converted 14 free throws. Cleveland grabbed 40 defensive rebounds while allowing 9 offensive boards, and they added 11 steals and 4 blocks.

Will the Nets Find a Way to Win at Home?

The Nets improved to 20-34 on the season with a 100-96 win over the 76ers on Wednesday. Playing at home, Brooklyn was favored by 1.5 points and covered the spread, while the game’s total of 196 points fell short of the 209-point line.

Brooklyn led 76-66 going into the 4th quarter after winning each of the first three quarters, including a strong defensive effort in the 3rd, where they held the 76ers to 17 points. Philadelphia outscored the Nets 30-24 in the final period, but Brooklyn held on for the win.

D’Angelo Russell’s 22 points and 5 rebounds led the Nets to a 100-96 win over the 76ers, shooting 60% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 42.9%. Trendon Watford added 18 points, shooting 87.5%, while Cameron Johnson contributed 16 points and 6 rebounds.

Russell scored 14 points in the 1st quarter, adding 7 more in the 3rd. Watford scored 8 points in the 4th quarter, and Johnson added 4 points in the final period. The Nets hit just 8 threes, shooting 26.7% from deep, but finished with a 47.1% overall field goal percentage.

The Nets put together a strong defensive performance against the 76ers, allowing just 96 points in the game. They were particularly effective in the 3rd quarter, where they gave up only 17 points. Overall, Brooklyn held Philadelphia to 43% shooting from the field.

Brooklyn’s defense was especially good at defending the three-point line, as they held the 76ers to just 8 made threes on 24% shooting. The Nets also recorded 13 steals and 7 blocks in the game.