Cleveland Cavaliers odds: Predicting second Magic game vs the spread
The Cleveland Cavaliers will welcome the Orlando Magic into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as they look to improve their record to 6-12 on the season. Which way should you bet this contest against the spread?
The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped a heartbreaker in their last contest against the Brooklyn Nets when Nets’ combo-guard Spencer Dinwiddie hit the go-ahead shot with less than two seconds to go. While Brooklyn was down Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert, it was nice to see the Cavs battling as they looked for their second consecutive win after their worst stretch of the season thus far.
The Cavaliers were also without All-Star big man Kevin Love for the second consecutive contest as he continues to battle an achy lower back.
Tonight, Cleveland will welcome the Orlando Magic into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for their second matchup of the season. Orlando took the first matchup by a 94-85 score, in Orlando.
The Action Network has opened this game up with the Cavaliers as 1-point underdogs. 60% of the bets have come in on Cleveland thus far and the line remains, currently, at Cleveland +1.
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Orlando is without All-Star center and their best player, Nikola Vucevic as he deals with a severely sprained ankle. They will also be without ultra-athletic forward Aaron Gordon, who is still day-to-day with a less severe ankle sprain that he suffered in the same game that Vucevic did.
Orlando lost the game that Vucevic and Gordon went down with injuries in and have also dropped the next two that they have missed. Including the game the two were hurt, they are only averaging 97 points per game according to Basketball-Reference without them. Now it’s obviously a small sample size, but losing two players of that caliber would be tough for any team to overcome.
Magic wing Evan Fournier has led the way in scoring since then as he has averaged 21.33 points per game over that three-game stretch according to Basketball-Reference, so it will be important for Cleveland to key on him.
Cleveland will also have to focus on Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac. Fultz looks to be regaining some of the form many thought he possessed when he went number one overall in the NBA Draft. Isaac is having somewhat of a breakout season for Orlando. The third-year man out of Florida State is averaging 13.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals per contest according to Basketball-Reference. Isaac’s length, defensively, will be a problem for Cleveland.
The bet – Cleveland Cavaliers +1
The bet tonight is to take the point and bet the Cavaliers. Love is considered a game-time-decision, but even without him, the Cavaliers should have enough firepower to overwhelm the undermanned Magic.
If it is announced that Love is playing, early this morning, the line will likely move and Cleveland will more than likely be giving points to the Magic. Even if it isn’t announced, the line could move simply because the majority of the bets are already coming in on Cleveland. It’s important to get the bet in early so you’re getting a point.
Collin Sexton and Darius Garland are going to have to bring it on the defensive end of the floor. They will be dealing with the Magic’s guards who have solid size. Fournier is listed at 6’7” according to Basketball-Reference and Fultz is listed at 6’3”. Dealing with guards who have a little bit of a size advantage is nothing new for the Cavaliers’ backcourt, however, they need to find ways to combat it.
The Cavaliers will need to attack the boards hard against the undermanned frontcourt of the Magic. Tristan Thompson, Love (if he plays), and Larry Nance Jr. should feast on the glass and provide extra possessions for the Cavaliers.
This matchup points in the Cavaliers’ favor if they come out with the right intensity and mindset from the opening tip. The bet is Cleveland +1, lock it in early.
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