It may be the offseason, but the summer league has arrived and is front and center of the basketball world on Thursday! The Cleveland Cavaliers square off with the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. Join us for our NBA odds series, where our Cavaliers-Pistons prediction and pick will be revealed.
The Cavaliers are fresh off a 91-80 loss against the Hornets in Vegas on Wednesday which dropped them to 1-2 thus far in the Summer League scheduled slate. With only a few more games remaining before seeding for the tournament takes place, the Cavs will be eager to even up their record at 2-2 to improve their positioning.
As for Detroit, the Pistons got off to a 2-0 start before dropping a contest against the Pacers on Tuesday. First-round pick guard sensation Jaden Ivey has definitely raised eyebrows during his minutes on the floor. If Ivey suits up for Thursday's matchup, expect big things from future superstar playmaking point guard.
Here are the Cavaliers-Pistons Summer League odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Summer League Odds: Cavaliers-Pistons Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers: +2.5 (-104)
Detroit Pistons: -2.5 (-118)
Over: 175.5 (-115)
Under: 175.5 (-105)
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Why The Cavaliers Could Cover the Spread
At 1-2, the Cavaliers like other teams are using this time during the Summer League to assess the state of their roster when it comes to their young bucks proving that they have what it takes to be on this roster. With a surplus of youthful talent itching to standout, there are a few names to watch out for that may help the Cavs cover the spread against the Pistons.
In Cleveland's latest loss to the Pacers that dropped them to 1-2 overall this summer, the Cavs were led by the standout guard from the National Champion Kansas Jayhawks in Ochai Agbaji. In just under 30 minutes played, Agbaji left his mark on the game with 24 points on 7/13 shooting including connecting on 50% of his three-point shots from downtown. With his impressive athleticism and ability to jump the lanes leading to fast break points, there isn't a whole lot that Agbaji cannot do. Not to mention, Agbaji has always been an incredible three-point shooter. During his final season in Lawrence, Agbaji shot 40% from deep en route to averaging 18.8 PPG.
Another talented name to watch that may have an impact in covering the spread? Look no further than college standout forward Isaiah Mobley. The brother of Evan Mobley, the USC product from a year ago is still getting his feet wet in the NBA game this summer with a trio of games under his belt thus far. At Southern California, Mobley was a scoring machine. Mobley averaged 14.8 PPG on 68% shooting from the field and also compiled 8.3 rebounds per game in his season finale at USC.
Why The Pistons Could Cover the Spread
While the former Purdue product sat out during the team's latest loss, Ivey went berserk in the squad's 105-99 victory over Washington. In only five minutes of action, Ivey erupted for ten points on a perfect 100% clip from the field. Already equipped with an exciting backcourt tandem with youngsters Cade Cunningham and now Jaden Ivey, the Pistons are drooling at what could be some formidable guard play for years to come. While it is yet to be seen how this backcourt will play out in 2022 and in the future, it is surely not a bad thing to have options if you are Detroit.
Looking ahead to their fourth matchup of the Summer League against the Cavs, the Pistons would benefit from another strong outing from guard Buddy Boeheim. The son of legendary Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Buddy is fresh off an 18-point performance in which he was Detroit's leading scorer on the night. After a fine career in college, Boeheim is looking to stand out and make a name for himself with his above-average three-point shooting and playmaking ability. In 26 minutes played during the loss to Indiana, the Syracuse product was able to connect on 75% of his shots.
In order to have any chance of covering the spread this afternoon, the Pistons must get after the boards to avoid Cleveland receiving second chances in the paint. While Summer League rosters and lineups are ever-changing, the big boys in the frontcourt in center Jalen Duren and forward Braxton Key must remain aggressive against the lengthy Cavaliers.
Final Cavaliers-Pistons Prediction & Pick
The unpredictability of the Summer League provides basketball and sports betting fans some excitement during the offseason months of the NBA. In this particular case, this matchup between the Cavaliers and Pistons could go down to the wire. However, with the Pistons playing a better brand of basketball collectively up to this point, Detroit should handle business and further improve their seeding by covering the spread versus Cleveland this afternoon.
Final Cavaliers-Pistons Pick: Pistons -2.5 (-118)
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