NBA betting preview and odds for Cavs vs. Rockets on Thursday night
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets are two teams heading in opposite directions at this point in the season. The Cavs are now 29-20 and sit firmly in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Rockets have the worst record in the league and appear to be in more of a tank-mode than anything else. These squads will get together on the hardwood in Houston tonight and, regardless of records, this still should be an exciting contest.
We have a Cavs vs. Rockets prediction that we’re about to dive into for the matchup, and the odds will be provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. HOUSTON ROCKETS PREDICTION: Cavs -8 (-110 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Houston Rockets prediction & preview for January 26, 2023
After acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz this past offseason, the Cavs were destined to be a much better squad than in recent years. However, if you were to say they’d be the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference at the end of January, even most Cleveland fans would’ve been skeptic. That’s exactly where they sit though, and it’s largely because of the stellar play from Mitchell. Possessing one of the best defenses in the NBA certainly helps, too.
The Rockets are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Many people knew they would be bad, but that has now reached new levels as they own just one victory in the past month. Playing on the road or at home hasn’t really mattered for Houston, as they’ve played poorly no matter where the game is located. Second-year player Jalen Green continues to be somewhat of a bright-spot, but his efficiency alone is rather poor.
Cleveland has definitely started to waver a bit in recent weeks, but a game against Houston is exactly what they need to get back on track. The Rockets have some embarrassing numbers as a team offensively, and the combination of that with the Cavs defense is something to be on the lookout for. We’ve taken all these aspects into consideration before making our Cavs vs. Rockets prediction coming up just ahead.
Cleveland enters this matchup as an eight-point road favorite here. This means that the Rockets are eight-point underdogs, with both sides being priced at -110 odds. The total (over/under), set at 223, also carries a price of -110 on both sides at Caesars Sportsbook. For any of these markets, a successful $11 wager would profit you $10.
In terms of player props, Cleveland’s Darius Garland’s point total is certainly something to keep in mind. It’s currently set at 24.5 with a price of -105 odds towards the over and -125 odds for the under. Jalen Green has been a valuable piece for this Houston team, and his scoring numbers are essential for them. For this matchup, the number is set at 22.5 with a price of -115 odds on both the over and under.
Cavs vs. Rockets best bet: Cavs -8 (-110 at Caesars)
As you may have been able to guess from our lead-up, our Cavs vs. Rockets prediction is to roll with the better team in Cleveland to cover the spread. Not only could the Cavs really use a victory in this spot after going 1-3 in their past four outings, but the Rockets haven’t shown much fight all season, specifically recently. Since December 13, they have a lackluster two wins to their name and have covered the spread just four times.
Houston ranks either dead-last in the NBA or right near it in multiple statistical categories on offense, including points per game and shooting percentages from all three levels (field goal, three-point, free throw). With Cleveland being so stout on the defensive side of things, there’s a solid chance that the Rockets fail to break the 100-point barrier here. The Cavs rank first in the league in points allowed per game and defensive rebounding while also ranking in the top eight for both field goal and three-point percentage.
All in all, this is just a bad matchup for Houston whether they’re at home or not. They don’t really have anyone capable of slowing down Mitchell for four quarters and he should improve on his already impressive 28.3 points per game. Although they’ve started to struggle a bit in terms of wins and losses, Cleveland still has gone 3-2 ATS in their last five contests. They should do the same here, which is why our Cavs vs. Rockets prediction is for Cleveland to cover the eight-point spread, which carries a price of -110 odds at Caesars Sportsbook.
How to pick Cavs -8 at Caesars Sportsbook
You can ride along with our Cavs vs. Rockets prediction on Caesars Sportsbook if you so please. To do just that, follow our helpful guide that informs you how exactly to bet on Thursday night’s matchup:
- Use promo code ATHLONFULL at registration
- Deposit $10+
- Navigate to their NBA betting page
- Wager between $10-$1,250 on our Cavs vs. Rockets prediction
The best part about following along with our Cavs vs. Rockets prediction is that you don’t even need to worry about the outcome when you . Your first wager on their platform is fully insured by bonus bets up to $1,250 if it loses. Just be sure to use Caesars promo code ATHLONFULL when signing up.
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