NBA Actions Returns on Thursday
The Cleveland Cavaliers put their home record to the test when the Denver Nuggets come to town on Thursday.
A current -2½ favorite with NBA betting markets, the Cavaliers are 25-6 at home, which is an imposing record.
The Nuggets are the best of the Western Conference, so it makes for a huge hardwood contest.
Cavs Up for Challenge
The Cavaliers have all the makings of being a top-tier team and owning a superior home record is one way to get to the playoffs.
They have won their last four home games, including an impressive 128-113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies as a 6½-point favorite.
They are 32-26-3 against the spread, so although not the most impressive betting online statistics, bettors have made a profit.
Their most recent game was a 118-112 road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, which was both good and bad. Facing a big deficit at one point, they fought back and made a game of it in the fourth quarter.
“We allowed them to put a little bit of doubt in our minds early, but we figured it out,” Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
“They did a great job of physically out of our stuff. They were aggressive on both ends of the floor and it took us too long to recover from that first punch. We showed what we are capable of in the second half with 17 assists and just one turnover.”
Getting off to a faster start against the Nuggets is needed. Denver is the best first-quarter team in the NBA, with a +3.3-point advantage. Cleveland ranks ninth, so there is some cause for concern early in the contest.
Nuggets Continue to Deliver
The Nuggets ride a three-game winning streak and two of those wins came on the road.
They got the better of the Hornets 119-105 before handling the Heat 112-108 in a tight tussle. That came before beating the Mavericks, so they have been impressive lately and that’s reflected with NBA odds.
“For us to continue to find ways to win and have different guys step up every night, I think it speaks to our chemistry, our depth,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “We’ve got a really good team in there.”
Bookmakers have the Nuggets at +2½, which is a low road betting line. They have been underdogs in just 12 games, going 7-5 ATS. They are 1-1 when getting between 1-2½ points.
They are 7-3 ATS from their last 10 games, so bettors have cashed in and getting underdog odds on Thursday is mouthwatering, but this is one of their toughest tests to date. Beating Cleveland on the road would be a signature win and a signal that the west is just as strong.
Denver has already beaten Cleveland this year and it should be confident of going 2-0.
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Game Injuries
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Head-to-Head
The Nuggets won 121-108 at home in January. They were the 5½-point favorites, but home-court advantage was key.
It’s a 5-5 ATS split over the last 10 games, with the betting underdog winning six.
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Game Information
- Game: Nuggets (41-18) vs Cavaliers (38-23)
- Day/Time: Thursday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
- Nuggets vs Cavaliers Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Betting Lines
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Picks and Prediction
We can’t turn down the line for the Nuggets, who we believe is the better team.
Beating the Cavaliers at home is a tough ask, but we think the Nuggets are well-placed after the All-Star break and they could cause a minor upset.
Lock in over 223 points as well. It should be a high-scoring game, so include it in your NBA picks.
Denver is listed at +120 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Nuggets, there’s a chance to win $120. Cleveland is -140, offering a chance to win $71 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Denver a 45.45% chance to win, with the Cavaliers at 58.33%.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Trends
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Edge
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Results
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Game Summary
Cavaliers vs Nuggets Previous (Jan 6, 2023)
The Nuggets should have too much class and the -6 line is only going to move one way, so it’s best to jump on it.
We’re also backing under 224½ as the missing players for the Cavaliers will have a big effect on their offense.
