Sunday's NBA action will continue with this game between two talented Eastern Conference teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers (42-27) will try to continue their run atop the conference against the Charlotte Hornets (22-47). You won't want to miss this fun matchup! Check out our NBA odds series for our Cavaliers-Hornets prediction and pick.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in fourth-place in the Eastern Conference and sit seven games back of the leading Milwaukee Bucks. They've had a tremendous season thus far and are emerging as one of the teams that will contend for the Eastern Conference title. They've won three of their last four games but dropped their most recent one on the road against the Heat. They'll try to get it done as Jarrett Allen is ‘doubtful' and Darius Garland remains ‘questionable'.
The Charlotte Hornets are in 14th-place in the Eastern Conference and will most likely be looking towards improving their skills and chemistry for next season. After a short five-game winning streak, the Hornets fell back into their ways by losing four of their six most recent games. Their last game was a loss to the Jazz so they'll be hungry to pick up a win in this one.
Here are the Cavaliers-Hornets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Cavaliers-Hornets Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers: -8.5 (-108)
Charlotte Hornets: +8.5 (-112)
Over: 220 (-110)
Under: 220 (-110)
How To Watch Cavaliers vs. Hornets
TV: Bally Sports Ohio
Stream: NBA League Pass, fuboTV
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread
The Cavaliers are once again in a position to make a deep playoff run as they've seen a huge jump in their success after acquiring Donovan Mitchell. He leads them in points with 27 per game and is also leading them in steals. Not only does Mitchell have the ability to explode for a huge scoring night, but he also fits the mold of the Cavaliers' identity with the way he's active on the defensive end. Their biggest strength is standing tall on defense and then turning missed shots into scoring opportunities for themselves.
The Cavs are 46-30 ATS this year. They've been a much better home team and haven't enjoyed the same success on the road, going just 15-18 ATS and 14-20 SU. With Jarrett Allen most likely sitting out, they'll have to lean on Evan Mobley for defense (their leader in blocks) and Isaac Okoro for scoring in the paint. If they can continue to stifle their opponents on defense, the offensive boost from Mitchell could be enough for them to cover a wide spread. Having Darius Garland would be a huge positive in countering the guard play of the Hornets.
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets had a great team win just two games ago against one of the best in the East with the New York Knicks. Kelly Oubre had a great night with 27 points on 10/17 shooting while his team contributed by going 37.5% from three. Most notably, they were aggressive on the glass and managed to out-rebound the Knicks, a team usually good at picking up boards. They shot a betting number from three in their last game but were dominated on the glass by the Jazz. The Hornets will look to focus on team-rebounding as it's often been the deciding factor in their games.
The Hornets will have to overcome some injuries in this game. With LaMelo Ball out of the picture and Cody Martin out, James Bouknight and Mark Williams are now listed as ‘doubtful' for the contest. They'll be suffering a major blow down low and with their scoring, so the Hornets will have to rely on ball movement and opening up driving lanes. They'll have a tough task in the Cavaliers but if they can limit their turnovers and work hard on the glass, they could cover the spread.
Final Cavaliers-Hornets Prediction & Pick
The injuries just seem to be piling up for the Hornets and they aren't playing with much consistency given the constant changes in the lineup. The Cavaliers are a sleeper-team to make a run in the playoffs, so the prediction is for them to continue their dominating play behind Mitchell and their defense. Let's take the Cavaliers to cover the spread on the road.
Final Cavaliers-Hornets Prediction & Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -8.5 (-108)
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