Only the most hopeful of Cleveland Cavaliers fans would have believed that four years after LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers the Cavs would be title contenders and the Lakers would not. Yet that is absolutely the case, as an aging James and an ailing Anthony Davis are weighed down by a roster of minimum players and whatever Russell Westbrook is.
The Cavs blew through the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in a 24-point win to kick off their five-game road trip. They did so without Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, who were both game-time decisions that ultimately sat out. They are questionable for today’s game.
Afternoon games in Los Angeles are always dangerous, with the allure of LA nightlife often throwing visiting teams off their game. Will the Cavs rise above and take care of a team that has been one of the NBA’s worse to start the year?
Betting odds, spread, over/under
With the status of the Cavs’ top two players in question, their demolition of the Detroit Pistons on Friday night still has them favored heading into the showdown with the Lakers. The Cavaliers are favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under is set to 223.5.
Cavs injury report
Darius Garland (knee, questionable); Donovan Mitchell (ankle, questionable; Ricky Rubio (out indefinitely, knee); Dylan Windler (out, ankle)
Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup tonight
Cavs: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
If both star guards play, the Cavs’ preferred starting lineup is above. If one is out, look for Dean Wade to enter the starting lineup. If both are out again, Isaac Okoro will probably start.
Lakers: Patrick Beverly, Lonnie Walker, Troy Brown, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
LeBron James is probable for today’s game, while Anthony Davis is questionable. If Davis sits then perhaps Wenyen Gabriel gets the start.
Prediction
The Lakers have steadied the ship just a little since their abysmal start, but they are still multiple levels below the Cavs. Their offense is anemic and their shooting is poor, but with Mobley and Allen patrolling the paint the Lakers may struggle to score even more than usual.
The only path for the Lakers is a vintage LeBron James game in transition and hot shooting from players like Lonnie Walker and Matt Ryan. Even then, the Lakers are wholly unable to take advantage of the Cavs’ weaknesses on defense, so a good scoring night from the Lakers probably falls short of a mediocre one from the Cavs.
If Mitchell and Garland play, it’s good night for the Lakers. If they don’t, the Cavs proved that the depth and versatility of their bigs can unlock a lot even without the star guards, and they are playing like a team that won’t be knocked off by a bad team. Anything can happen, of course, but right now the expectation is that they should demolish the Lakers at full strength and beat them even short-handed.
Prediction: Cavaliers 108, Lakers 96
Bet: CLEVELAND (-3.5), UNDER
What channel is the Cleveland Cavaliers game on?
The Cavaliers will be taking on the Lakers on local television. Ohio fans can watch on Bally Sports Ohio, and those in California can tune into Spectrum SportsNet. Everyone else can tune in on NBA League Pass. The game tips off at 3:30pm ET, which is just 12:30 local time.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. [full team name] live stream
If you need a live stream, check out FuboTV for a free trial!
Cleveland Cavaliers next games and schedule
The Cavs continue their California road trip with a back-to-back at Crypto.com Arena on Monday, then take on the Kings and Warriors the rest of the week.
Mon, Nov 7 – @ LA Clippers
Wed, Nov 9 – @ Sacramento Kings
Fri, Nov 11 – @ Golden State Warriors
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change