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This should be a good one as the Cleveland Cavaliers pay a visit to Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Cavaliers-Sixers prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
Saturday marks the first encounter between Cleveland and Philadelphia this season. It will be interesting to see how Joel Embiid will fare against the Cavaliers' supersized frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
The Cavaliers have won four straight games and are 2-0 since acquiring guard Caris LeVert earlier this week. The East is incredibly tight as just 2.5 games separate the 1st and 5th seeds. As it currently stands, the Cavs (35-21) are tied with the Chicago Bulls for the second-best record in the conference.
Meanwhile, the Sixers found themselves in the spotlight ahead of the trade deadline this Thursday. They made a blockbuster deal to acquire James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets and finally got rid of Ben Simmons in the process. The 5th seeded Sixers are just 2.5 games out of the top spot in the East and could move into a half-game behind the 4th seeded Bucks with a win on Saturday.
Here is how FanDuel has set the Cavaliers-Sixers NBA odds for this Saturday night NBA matchup.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers–Sixers Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers: +3.5 (-108)
Philadelphia 76ers: -3.5 (-112)
Over: 206 (-110)
Under: 206 (-110)
Why the Cavaliers could cover the spread
With the way they've been playing on the season, it wouldn't be hard to see Cleveland coming up with the victory on Saturdays. The Cavaliers are coming off a 120-113 come-from-behind victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Caris LeVert scored a game-high 22 points with five assists.
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Jarrett Allen continued to show why he is deserving of an All-Star nod with another double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Allen has been a beast over Cleveland's last four games. He averaged 20.3 points and 16.8 rebounds, helping the Cavs to a 4-0 stretch.
First-time All-Star Darius Garland sat out the game against the Pacers on Friday due to a sore back. He returned to the lineup on Wednesday following a four-game absence. Unfortunately, it seems like he is still dealing with some pain. The Cavaliers have yet to release their injury report, but if Garland still won't be able to go, LeVert should continue to be option no. 1 on the perimeter. Rajon Rondo also stepped up in Garland's absence with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals in 33 minutes against the Pacers.
Meanwhile, Lauri Markkanen should continue to be on the sidelines for Cleveland due to a sprained ankle. Markkanen has been out indefinitely with the injury.
A win from Cleveland would at least keep them in step with the Chicago Bulls, who will likely win their outing against the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. The Cavaliers are 17-12 on the road and 20-11 against the East. Against the spread, Cleveland has been impressive at 33-19. Meanwhile, they are 35-21 on the moneyline but are just 21-35 on over/under.
Why the Sixers could cover the spread
The Sixers have been in a bit of a slump, having gone 2-3 over their last five. Prior to this stretch, Philadelphia won five straight games. The Sixers are on the third game of a four-game homestand before they head back on the road for a three-game trip.
Sixers fans have a lot to be excited about this past week after they acquired former league MVP James Harden this Thursday. Unfortunately, Harden still won't make his Philadelphia debut as he is still dealing with hamstring tightness. Paul Millsap, who also came over in the Harden deal, likewise won't make his Sixers debut this weekend.
Joel Embiid is having an MVP-caliber campaign for Philadelphia and he may be in for a challenge as he goes up against Cleveland's Twin Towers Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. The Cameroonian leads the NBA scoring, averaging 29.4 points per game, to go along with 10.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
Aside from Harden and Millsap, the Sixers have pretty much the remainder of their core intact. Of course, they are no longer without Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, who went with Ben Simmons in the deal to Brooklyn.
A win from Philadelphia (33-22) will inch them closer to the 4th seeded Bucks (35-22). They're not the best team at home (15-12) and have an 18-13 mark against East teams. The Sixers' betting records have been somewhat a mixed bag. They have a moneyline record which stands at 33-22, while their over/under is just at 22-32. Against the spread, Philadelphia is at 27-28.
Final Cavaliers–Sixers Prediction & Pick
The narrow spread makes this a tough bet. But if we had to pick one, we might have to go with the Cavaliers. Cleveland carries much more momentum heading into Saturday. They've won four in a row and have gone 8-2 over their last 10 outings. The Cavs have also surprised with impressive wins over some of the league's best. They hold a 16-13 record against teams over .500 and their road record suggests they aren't phased by playing outside of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Moreover, they have the size and length to deal with Joel Embiid inside.
Final Cavaliers–Sixers Prediction & Pick: Cavaliers: +3.5 (-108)
