Our NBA previews and score predictions continue with this compelling matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-16, 8-12 Away) and Portland Trail Blazers (19-21, 9-7 Home) on Thursday night. Tip-off from Moda Center is scheduled for 10:00 pm EST and will be broadcast on each team’s regional network.
This is the second and final regular-season meeting between these two teams after the Cavs cruised to an 18-point victory in Cleveland back on Thanksgiving eve. At the time, the victory gave the Cavaliers the third-best record in the entire NBA. At the same time, Portland was missing star point guard Damian Lillard who was sitting out with a lower leg strain.
Continue reading for our Cavaliers vs Trail Blazers prediction.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Information
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Location of the game: Moda Center, Portland, OR.
Date: Thursday, 12th January. 10:00 pm ET.
How to Watch: Regional Sports Networks, NBA League Pass
Cavaliers vs. Trail Blazers Odds
When you’re considering making your NBA picks today, there are many factors to weigh. The NBA odds today list the Cavaliers as 2.5-point favorites with an over/under of 223 points.
Cleveland is -140 on the Moneyline, while Portland checks in as +118 underdogs. With the star power on both sides, this could be one of the more interesting NBA matchups on the card.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Betting Preview
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cavs have been in the headlines quite a bit this week as they descend on Rose City. The 5-seed in the Eastern Conference is coming off an emotional loss to the Jazz. Which represented Donovan Mitchell’s return to Utah for the first time since he was traded this past offseason.
Mitchell poured in 46 points in the arena he spent the first five seasons of his career. Eight days after the career-high and NBA season-high 71 he posted against the Bulls. As noted, however, the Cavs came up short in Mitchell’s return to Salt Lake City, as they’ve now traded wins and losses over their last four contests.
Rubio is slated to return to the floor
Elsewhere in the news, Ricky Rubio is slated to return to the floor for this game after sitting out an entire year dealing with an ACL tear in his left knee. Rubio would offer much-needed depth to the Cavs’ backcourt on the second unit.
Taking a look at the Cleveland Cavaliers odds to win the NBA championship, they currently sit at +2000. And despite their firepower on offense, the thing that stands out the most among the NBA team stats is that they’re number one in points allowed in the entire association. That could come into play when making our Cavaliers vs Trail Blazers prediction.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Blazers, meanwhile, are in the midst of a mini-slide, entering this game having lost four straight, having only won one game since the calendar turned to 2023. One notable category that sticks out when combing through the Portland Trail Blazers stats is that. They rank in the bottom third of the league with their 112.1 points per game.
This should have been one of the easier stretches on Portland’s NBA schedule. But they haven’t been able to rise above opponents like Indiana, Toronto, Orlando, or Minnesota and have given up at least 108 points in all four losses. The skid has bumped the Blazers out of the current playoff picture, dropping them to 11th in the Western Conference.
Dame has eclipsed the 30-point mark in back-to-back games, and, like usual, he stands out among NBA player stats and checks in as the 10th-leading scorer in the league.
Continue reading for our Cavaliers vs Trail Blazers prediction.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Pick and Prediction
Earlier in the week, we would have forecasted a Cavs win over the Jazz in Mitchell’s homecoming, especially if you told us Spida would have dropped 46. That would have then generated a letdown spot here against an inferior Blazers squad on the road.
However, the loss to Utah should motivate Cleveland to come out and punish Portland in the one and only superstar showdown between Mitchell and Lillard this season. Look for the Cavs’ defense to suffocate the Blazers and get The Land back on the winning track before they start to make their way back east.
Final Score Prediction: Cavaliers 117 Blazers 109
Pick: Cleveland – 1.5
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