Don’t look now, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have won four straight contests, and while the Miami Heat deserve plenty of credit for their efforts with him very shorthanded on Monday, the Cavaliers responded when they had to in their win on Monday over them. Kevin Love‘s season-high 23 points, all in the second half, came up big in that one, and he’s in a good rhythm lately, too, as KJG’s Mark Wilson demonstrated.
Heading into Wednesday’s games, the Cavaliers are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and they look to be a legitimate postseason squad, with how they’re defending and with their shooting heating up, thanks to great ball movement and them getting healthy. That’s aside from Collin Sexton being out, unfortunately.
So what’s next for the Cavs? Their first meeting with the Houston Rockets in the 2021-22 season on Wednesday. Houston is a squad that’s in the early stages of their rebuild, but this is a young team that is gaining confidence, and they have a number of promising pieces that are gaining more and more experience game-to-game.
After the Rockets’ 20-point comeback victory on Monday at the Atlanta Hawks, they’ve won eight of 10, and while they did have a 15-game losing streak at one point, they’re playing far better, clearly.
So, what do you have to know about this Cavs-Rockets matchup, and how to bet?
Both of these clubs have been playing well in recent weeks, and based on how the squad is moving it and defending, the Cavaliers’ chemistry is gelling it seems and they’re heating up from three. Part of their recent success has admittedly been with some crucial contributors out for the opposition, as the Heat were without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and a number of other rotational contributors. But regardless of the opponent, the Cavs are getting it done in a big way.
From the Rockets’ perspective, despite #2 overall selection Jalen Green being out for an extended stretch with a hamstring injury, guys such as Christian Wood and Eric Gordon have been playing well, as well as Jae’Sean Tate and rookie Alperen Sengun.
Plus, two-way wing Garrison Mathews has been taking advantage of his play with the Rockets, and is now up to 38.8 percent from three on the season; it’s surprising to me how Mathews was yet again only on a two-way deal, frankly.
So in relation to Wednesday’s outing, where are the current odds, and what are the key injuries heading into this contest for both squads?
Cavaliers vs. Rockets: Odds, spread and over/under
According to our partners at WynnBet, the Cavaliers are currently favored by a whopping 10.0, with the over/under being 220.0. The spread largely takes into account what Cleveland has done recently, but even more so Houston’s injuries.
The Cavs have won these last four games, though, and at this point, have climbed into fourth in the East; their net rating is now fourth in the league, too. The Wine and Gold have been on the mark as favorites this season as well, for what it’s worth.
To reiterate however, the huge line for this game relates to Houston’s inactives, and to me, the over/under will seem high regarding both teams involved with that in mind.
Cavs vs. Rockets: Projected starting lineups, injury report
Rockets starters: D.J. Augustin/Armoni Brooks, Garrison Mathews, Jae’Sean Tate, Daniel Theis, Christian Wood/Alperen Sengun
Cavs starters: Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade/Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley/Lauri Markkanen, Jarrett Allen
Rockets’ key injuries: Jalen Green (out, hamstring); Kevin Porter Jr. (out, thigh); Eric Gordon (out, groin); Danuel House Jr. (out, ankle); John Wall (out, his/team decision and/or conditioning); Christian Wood (questionable, knee).
Cavs’ key injuries: Collin Sexton (out for season, knee); Evan Mobley (questionable, hip).
Cavaliers vs. Rockets: Prediction
The Rockets are going to get up a boatload of threes, we know that to be the case. Cleveland will need to feasibly have Okoro trying to contain Mathews, who is a polished movement shooter, and in transition, he’s capable of connecting from deep as well.
In terms of other notable perimeter guys aside from the obvious in Garland, for instance, the matchup between Rubio and Augustin as bench playmakers is one to watch, as both of those guys have been bench stabilizers for both of their respective teams. I’d imagine both clubs will put them in for stretches to set the table for others, and for pick-and-roll play.
It’s a question mark for now if Mobley and Wood will end up playing in this one, and I could realistically foresee both being out to get healthier; if they’re not in there, it could lead to more matchups between Sengun and Allen, which could be an underrated matchup here. Sengun could get a start here, I’d think, although Kenyon Martin Jr. starting at the 4 with Theis at 5 I could see.
Sengun is clearly not the player of Allen, and has a ways to go defensively. Even still, he is a quality passing big and is a physical low-post player/roller with plenty of touch, so the Cavs need to stay out of foul trouble in that regard and work to prevent touches for Sengun in the deep paint.
All of that being said, even if Mobley is out, the Rockets not having Green and Porter still, and being without Gordon, who had 32 points in that last comeback over the Hawks, is just too much to overcome against the Cavaliers here. I’d expect Cleveland to have some rough patches, sure; regardless, they’ll eventually pull away versus a team that’s severely undermanned.
Prediction: Cavs 110, Rockets 97
The Bet: Cavs (-10.0), UNDER
Cavs-Rockets: Where to watch
While the Rockets have some promising young pieces, and a rookie matchup between Evan Mobley and Jalen Green would’ve been fun for a potential national audience; unfortunately, that won’t be happening here. Green is out still, too, as we noted.
Even with Cleveland putting the league on notice, and Houston showing nice signs of late, this one will be broadcasted on local markets, on AT&T SportsNet Southwest, from the Rockets’ perspective, and Bally Sports Ohio for the Cavaliers. For those subscribed/in other markets, it can be watched via NBA League Pass.
Cavaliers upcoming schedule:
After this game against Houston, the Cavaliers will be off on Thursday and Friday before hitting the road for a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday at the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks. Those two clubs faced off in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, and those will be a far different level of opponents, with both being contenders.
Looking past that back-to-back, on Wednesday, the Cavs will conclude a three-game road trip at the Boston Celtics, who have been up-and-down thus far. The Cavaliers and them split two games in mid-November.