Cleveland Cavaliers vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be in Los Angeles tonight to take on the Lakers in a non-conference matchup. The Cavs are favored by 4.5 and have a record of 28-4, while the Lakers are 18-13 and have won two straight.
Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET and the game can be seen on SN-LA. The over/under line is currently sitting at 228.5 points.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -4.5
This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena at 9:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.
WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 130-112 in favor of the Cavaliers.
- Our projections have Donovan Mitchell finishing with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Cavaliers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.0% and knocking down 17 threes.
Will the Cavaliers Win on the Road?
The Cavaliers improved to 28-4 on the season with a 113-95 win over the Warriors on Monday. Cleveland, favored by 4 points, covered the spread with the 18-point victory. The game’s total of 208 points fell short of the 231-point over/under line.
A key 12-0 run helped the Cavaliers take control, turning a 49-41 deficit into a 53-49 lead. They held the Warriors to 11 points in the 2nd quarter and outscored them 37-27 in the 3rd, entering the 4th quarter with an 83-65 lead. The teams traded 30 points each in the final period.
In their win over the Warriors, the Cavaliers hit 18 threes, shooting 38.3% from deep and 45.8% overall. Darius Garland led the way with 25 points and 8 assists, shooting 58.8% from the field.
Donovan Mitchell added 23 points, including 15 in the 3rd quarter, and knocked down 5 threes at 45.5%. Jarrett Allen contributed 12 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 66.7%.
The Cavaliers put on a defensive clinic on Monday, holding the Warriors to just 95 points on 33% shooting. Cleveland was especially dominant in the 2nd quarter, where they allowed only 11 points. The Cavaliers limited Golden State’s three-point shooting, giving up just 9 threes on 23% shooting from beyond the arc.
Defensively, Cleveland sent the Warriors to the line 26 times, where they made 20 free throws. The Cavaliers grabbed 43 defensive rebounds but allowed 14 offensive boards. They also contributed 10 steals and 6 blocks in the win.
Will the Lakers Win at Crypto.com Arena?
The Lakers improved to 18-13 on the season with a 132-122 win over the Kings on Saturday. Los Angeles, who were +3 point underdogs, covered the spread at home. The total points for the game were 254, surpassing the O/U line of 222 by 32 points.
After a strong 1st quarter, the Lakers stumbled in the 2nd, allowing Sacramento to tie things up. However, a 12-0 run helped them dominate the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Kings 42-24. Despite a late push from Sacramento, the Lakers held on for the win.
Anthony Davis powered the Lakers to a 132-122 win over the Kings, finishing with 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 75% from the field. Austin Reaves added 26 points and 16 assists, hitting 3 threes at a 75% clip, and Rui Hachimura contributed 21 points, knocking down 4 threes at 80% efficiency.
The Lakers shot 59.7% from the field and 53.8% from beyond the arc, connecting on 14 threes. Davis scored 10 points in the 1st and 11 in the 3rd, while Reaves added 10 in the opening quarter. Hachimura and Dalton Knecht each scored 7 points in the 4th, with Knecht also adding 7 in the 2nd.
Even with a shaky defensive performance, the Lakers managed to secure a win against the Kings, giving up 122 points. They allowed 31 points in the 1st quarter and 35 in the 2nd, but tightened up in the 3rd, holding Sacramento to 24 points before allowing 32 in the 4th.
Los Angeles did well in limiting the Kings’ three-point shooting, allowing just 11 made threes on 27% shooting. Sacramento went 11/15 from the free-throw line. The Lakers finished with 29 defensive rebounds, gave up 13 offensive boards, and recorded 4 steals and 3 blocks.