76ers vs. Cavaliers Free Pick & Analysis 3/15/23

Philadelphia 76ers (45-22 SU, 38-28-1 ATS) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (44-27 SU, 39-31-1 ATS)
When: Wednesday, March 15th, 7:30 PM (ET)
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, OH, Cleveland
TV: ESPN

Point Spread: Phi -2/Cle +2 (Bet your pro hoops picks at -105 odds instead of -110 by taking 3 minutes to make the switch to BAS Sportsbook!)
Total: 217.5
Money Line: Philly 76ers -129/Clev +106

Notable Injuries

76ers

• Jalen McDaniels (Questionable) Ankle

Cavaliers

• Jarrett Allen (Out) Eye
• Donovan Mitchell (Out) Injury Management

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Philadelphia is 45-22 overall. When taking to the road, Philadelphia has a mark of 19-12 and a win percentage of 61%. Currently, the team is 3rd in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 38-28-1 vs. the spread. In their matchup against Cleveland, the Philadelphia 76ers have won 5 straight games and will look to push that mark to 6 in a row.

In their previous game, the Philadelphia team emerged victorious against the Wizards, winning by a margin of 8 points as predicted. Joel Embiid shone for the 76ers, scoring 34 points on a shooting percentage of 57.1%. The 76ers not only won the game but also successfully covered the spread.

Heading into the game, Cleveland is 44-27 overall. When playing at home, Cleveland has a mark of 28-7 and a win percentage of 80%. Currently, the team is 4th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 39-31-1 vs. the spread. Cleveland will look to stay hot in today’s game vs. Philadelphia as they are the winners of 2 straight games.

In their previous game, the Cleveland team emerged victorious against the Hornets, winning by a margin of 5 points as predicted. Evan Mobley shone for the Cavaliers, scoring 26 points on a shooting percentage of 66.7%. The Cavaliers not only won the game but also successfully covered the spread.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Cavaliers picked up the 113-85 win over the 76ers. The Cavaliers’ margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as 3.5 point favorite. So far, the two teams have split their season series, with each team at 1-1. The level of competition has been tight in the 5 most recent games between the 76ers and Cavaliers, with just -2 points per game separating the teams. Cleveland has the ATS edge in this span at 3-1-1. The over-under record in these same games is 3-2, with the teams combining for an average of 224 points per game.

Analysis

This season, the 76ers offense is averaging 115.0 points per game, which is 14th in the NBA. In terms of pace, Philadelphia has been playing at one of the slower tempo’s in the league, averaging just 97.1 possessions per game. Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting numbers are below the league average, as they have hit just 38.9% of their looks from deep. On average, the team gets up 32.6 3-point shots per game, placing them 18th in the NBA. Defensively, the 76ers have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 107.33 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 34.56%.

As the 76ers prepare for today’s game, Joel Embiid is their leading scorer with an average of 33.4 points per game. This season, Embiid has a field goal percentage of 53.9%. The team’s second-leading scorer is James Harden, who is averaging 21.8 points per game.

This season, Cleveland is averaging just 112.1 points per game, which places them 25th in the league. A major reason for these low numbers is the fact that they play at one of the slower paces in the NBA at just 95.9 possessions per game. Cleveland heads into the game as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in terms of percentage. So far, they have hit 36.5% of their looks from deep. However, they are currently ranked just 22nd in 3-point attempts per contest. Defensively, the Cavaliers have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 105.67 points per game. So far, they have allowed a 3-point shooting percentage of 35.29%, placing them 16th in the NBA.

A major injury to note for today’s game is that Cleveland will not have Donovan Mitchell available as is already listed as out on the injury report. Darius Garland will take on the role as the primary scorer for the team. This season, Garland is averaging 22.0 points per game for the Cavaliers.

Betting Trends

• 76ers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
• 76ers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
• Cavaliers are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
• Cavaliers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Wednesday games.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The Sixers have won five games in a row, but that includes a bunch of creampuffs. The Cavs are hot as well, winners of five of their last six games, which includes a handful of tough teams. Cleveland is ALWAYS on my consideration list when playing at home and it’s no different tonight, as I believe the Cavaliers are the best bet of the day at +1.5! Bet your NBA predictions for FREE this week by scoring a massive 50% real cash bonus up to $250 in free bets at the web’s best basketball betting site: Bovada Sportsbook!