Cavaliers vs. Rockets Point Spread Pick 1/26/23

Cleveland Cavaliers (29-20 SU, 26-22-1 ATS) vs. Houston Rockets (11-37 SU, 17-29-2 ATS)

When: Thursday, January 26th, 8:00 PM (ET)

Where: Toyota Center, TX, Houston

TV: BSOH

Point Spread: Cle -7.5/Hou +7.5 (Learn how you can get a free half point everytime you bet your favorite teams!)

Total: 223.0

Money Line: Cleveland Cavaliers -317/+252

Notable Injuries

Cavaliers

• Donovan Mitchell (Questionable) Groin
• Dylan Windler (Out) Ankle

Rockets

• Kevin Porter Jr. (Out) Foot

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Cleveland is 29-20 overall. When taking to the road, Cleveland has a mark of 9-15 and a win percentage of 38%. Currently, the team is 5th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 26-22-1 vs. the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs. the spread, they are 2-3 in their past five games and 3-2 ATS. Over their past ten games, they are 4-6 SU and 5-5 ATS.

In their most recent matchup, the Knicks defeated Cleveland by a score of 105-103. Jarrett Allen scored the most points for the team with 24, but it was not enough to earn the win. The Cavaliers were 3 points ahead going into the game.

Heading into the game, Houston is 11-37 overall. When playing at home, Houston has a mark of 7-16 and a win percentage of 30%. Currently, the team is 15th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 17-29-2 vs. the spread. In Houston’s last five games, the Rockets have a straight-up record of 1-4 while going 1-4 in those games. Going back to the last 10, they are 1-9 and 1-9 ATS.

Most recently, Houston lost to the Wizards by a score of 108-103. Alperen Sengün and his 21 points were not enough for the team to pull out a win as 2-point underdogs. The Rockets also finished with an ATS loss in the game.

The Historicals

Going back to last season, the Cavaliers and Rockets split their season series, with each team picking up a win at home. The average point total across the two games was 203.0 points. In last year’s head-to-head meetings, the Cavaliers averaged 114.0 points per game vs. Houston, which was an increase over their season-long average. However, the Rockets actually averaged fewer points per game than their season-long mark. Across their head-to-head matchups with Cleveland, the team averaged 102.0 points per game. The Cavaliers have had the better record vs. the spread over the last five games, going 4-1. The team’s average scoring margin in these contests sits at 9 points per game. In these contests, they averaged a combined 211 points per game, leading to an over-under mark of 1-4.

Analysis

This season, Cleveland is averaging just 111.5 points per game, which places them 26th 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 96.2 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 36.3% 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.

Heading into the game, Donovan Mitchell is listed as questionable on the injury report. This season, he leads the team with a per-game scoring average of 28.3. Currently, Darius Garland is 2nd on the team in scoring at 21.7 points per game.

Coming into the game, Houston’s offense is ranked just 29th in scoring at 109.7 points per game. This has come while being the 17th-ranked unit in pace. So far, the Rockets are averaging 99.2 possessions per contest. The Rockets have been able to put together a strong offensive attack despite sitting just 29th in 3-point shooting percentage. Overall, they are among the league leaders in attempts at 34.6 attempts per game. The defense has been a big problem for Houston, as they are currently allowing 118.2 points per game. In terms of their 3-point defense, opposing teams have hit 35.03% of their looks from deep, placing the Rockets 14th in the NBA.

Heading into today’s game, Houston will need a strong offensive effort from Jalen Green and the team’s supporting cast as Kevin Porter Jr. won’t be available vs. The Cleveland. So far, Porter Jr. is averaging 19.2 points per game. Green leads the Rockets at 22.0 points per contest.

Betting Trends

• The Cavaliers are 30-61-5 ATS in their last 96 games following an ATS loss.
• The Cavaliers are 4-13-2 ATS in their last 19 road games.
• The Rockets are 4-16-1 ATS in their last 21 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
• The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

I’ve had a great run fading the Cavaliers on the road this season. They’re just not the same team. They’re also not playing great right now, as they’ve lost three of their last four games. Throw in the fact that they may be looking ahead to OKC Friday night, which is a back-to-back, and we have a perfect storm where a bad team has a legit shot of winning straight up vs. a better opponent. I am a bit concerned that Houston is tanking for the top pick in this year’s NBA draft, but +7.5 is a bunch when at home. I’m betting on the Rockets plus the points! Bet your NBA predictions for FREE this week by taking advantage of a 100% real cash bonus up to $500 when you use promo code PREDICTEM at Betnow Sportsbook!