Cleveland Hoping for Key Victory as Season Winds Down
The Cleveland Cavaliers are favored with one of the largest NBA lines of the season when they play host to the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Cleveland, which sits fourth in the Eastern Conference, is in a prime position to improve its NBA playoff standing, or at least inch closer to gaining another spot.
Meanwhile, the Rockets have already clinched the best basketball odds with three other teams at obtaining the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Forgettable Season Finding New Lows for Rockets
The Houston Rockets have been as dysfunctional as any team imaginable in recent years.
So much so that veterans made NBA news with criticism of the team, and coach Stephen Silas has looked exhausted for much of the season. Now the Rockets play the Cavaliers after allowing 151 points on Friday in Memphis.
The Rockets are 29th in scoring 110.6 points per game, 28th in making 45.6% of field goals, and 29th in making 32.7% of 3-point shots. They are 29th in allowing 118.7 points per game, 20th in holding teams to 48.0% on field goal attempts, and 29th in allowing 37.6% on 3-point shots.
The one bright spot? Houston is fourth in rebounding at 46.3 per game and fourth at limiting opponents to 41.3 per game.
The Rockets have not been popular in NBA picks, with a 31-41-2 record against the spread, and are 36-37-1 on over/unders. They are 6-30 straight up on the road.
Cavaliers Hope To Continue Hot Streak as Playoffs Approach
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won five of their last six games and are 8-2 over their last 10. That is the right energy they need as the season winds down over the next two weeks.
The Cavaliers rely more on efficiency playing at a slower pace. They are 25th in scoring 112.2 points per game but sixth in making 48.8% of field goal attempts and 13th in making 36.5% of 3-point shots.
Cleveland is the best team defensively in holding opponents to 106.7 points per game. It allows teams to make 46.8% of field goal attempts, which ranks ninth, and is 21st in allowing a 37.0% conversion rate on 3-pointers.
The Cavs are 39-33-3 against the spread and 38-37 on over/unders. They are 29-8 straight up at home.
Rockets vs Cavaliers Game Injuries
Rockets vs Cavaliers Head-to-Head
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four of the last five meetings against the Houston Rockets. Historically, though, the Rockets have dominated with 88 wins to Cleveland’s 49 wins in the regular season all time.
Scores and odds show that the Rockets are 0-4 against the spread in the last four meetings in Cleveland, and 1-5 against the spread in the last six meetings, regardless of location.
The under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Cleveland and 5-1 in the last six meetings, regardless of location.
Rockets vs Cavaliers Game Information
- Game: Rockets (18-56) vs Cavaliers (47-28)
- Location: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
- Day/Time: Sunday, 6 p.m. ET
- Rockets vs Cavaliers Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Rockets vs Cavaliers Betting Lines
Rockets vs Cavaliers Picks & Prediction
It is going to be ridiculously difficult for the Cleveland Cavaliers to cover a spread of 14 points with the dramatic pace they play at. They have done that plenty of late as they have averaged 114.2 points per game over the last 10 contests in which they are 8-2.
But that is what makes this NBA game so fascinating, but the Houston Rockets are going to have to score against them, and that has proven difficult, especially for a team who does not seem to care too much about winning.
Those who bet on NBA games seem not to care about Cleveland’s pace, with 60% of public bets made available picking the Cavs to cover the spread, and another 73% are on the over. That game theory seems to make sense that the point total will go over if the Cavs are picked.
Fortunately, both teams are relatively healthy as only reserve guard Raul Neto (hamstring) is questionable for the Cavs, while Ja’Sean Tate (knee) is out for the Rockets, and veteran Frank Kaminsky (migraine) is questionable on Sunday.
Rockets vs Cavaliers Trends
Rockets vs Cavaliers TrendsRockets vs Cavaliers Edge
Rockets vs Cavaliers Results
Rockets vs Cavaliers Game Summary
Cavaliers vs Rockets Previous Game (Jan 26, 2023)
The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to face the Houston Rockets, who just recently broke out of their 13-game losing streak, only to lose again on Wednesday. Still, this doesn’t change much about their season, having the worst record in the league, but it at least gives the young players some confidence.
On Tuesday, the Cavaliers lost to the New York Knicks, 105-103, with Donovan Mitchell nearly sending the game to overtime, but he was stopped in the paint. The Rockets lost to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, 108-103, holding the lead till the fourth quarter.
