NBA Odds: Cavaliers (-3)
The Cleveland Cavaliers head to the Verizon Center to take on the Washington Wizards. The game gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Friday, Feb. 20 and will air on ESPN, FSN-OH and CSN-DC.
The Wizards lost a tough one against the Raptors 95-93 the last time they played. Nene Hilario played well for Washington, contributing 14 points, four steals, and four rebounds. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are coming off a 113-98 loss at the hands of the Bulls in their last outing. Kyrie Irving accumulated 17 points, seven assists, and six rebounds.
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Cavaliers had the upper hand in the most recent game, a blowout 113-87 win. LeBron James played a huge role in the victory by recording a double-double with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
Washington is a three-point underdog in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is presently unavailable. The Wizards enter the game with records of 33-21 Straight Up (SU) and 23-30-1 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games they are 3-7 ATS. The Wizards are a dangerously accurate shooting team with a .471 field-goal percentage, one of the highest marks in the NBA. Washington has the fifth-most assists in the NBA, averaging 24.4 per game.
Across the court, Cleveland has a SU record of 33-22 and an ATS record of 26-29. Cleveland has a record of 20-11 SU and 13-18 ATS against the East. The Cavaliers are getting to the foul line at a high rate, with 1,004 free throws made that ranks fifth in the NBA.
Cleveland beat Washington in their most recent meeting this season, bringing its SU record in the past 10 games to 6-4. The Cavaliers also hold the advantage ATS with a record of 6-4. Cleveland had the advantage in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) twice over the last 10. Washington has never had the edge in all categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – CLE, ATS Winner – WAS
Notes
Washington is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games.
Washington is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington’s last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington’s last 9 games at home.
Washington is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games at home.
Washington is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Cleveland.
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Washington’s last 13 games when playing Cleveland.
Washington is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cleveland.
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland.
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cleveland.
Washington puts up an average of 99.7 points per game (ranked 18th), while Cleveland allows 99.3 points per game (ranked 13th).
Cleveland ranks 10th in points allowed per road game (101.6 PPG), while Washington ranks 14th in points per home game with 102.1.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Wizards are 27-4 on the season. When the Cavaliers score fewer than 100, they are a poor 7-18.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Wizards are just 6-17 this season. Cleveland is a fantastic 26-4 when it reaches the century mark.
The Cavaliers have a defensive rating of 104.5 (ranked 21st). The Wizards rank 15th for their offensive rating of 102.8.
The Washington Wizards average 97.0 possessions per game and 1.028 points per possession, while the Cleveland Cavaliers earn fewer possessions (95.1) but more points per possession (1.075).
Washington is among the top-ranked teams based on its average effective field goal percentage of 50.8% (ranked 10th in the NBA). Cleveland is a poor 9-17 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Washington averages 16.2 three point attempts per game, and Cleveland attempts 25.6 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, the Wizards have a losing 1-2 record while the Cavaliers have a 16-15 record.
The Washington Wizards, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.70, rank 11th in the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a lower A/TO (1.64), ranking 16th.
The Washington Wizards rebound 44.1 times per game and are ranked ninth. Ranked 18th, the Cleveland Cavaliers rebound 42.7 times per game.
Washington is ranked ninth in defensive rebounds, while Cleveland ranks 10th in offensive rebounds.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ opponents have had an average turnover percentage of 13.3% this season. The Washington Wizards have a winning 22-11 record when their TOV% is 13.3% or higher.
