Nuggets vs. Cavaliers Betting Predictions 2/23/23

Denver Nuggets (41-18 SU, 32-26-1 ATS) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (38-23 SU, 34-26-1 ATS)
When: Thursday, February 23rd, 7:00 PM (ET)
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, OH, Cleveland
TV: BSOH

Point Spread: Den +2.5/Cle -2.5 (Stop wasting your money laying -110 odds! Start saving big $$$ TODAY by making the switch to -105 at BetAnySports! You’ll be so happy you did!)
Total: 223.0
Money Line: Nugs +115/Cavs -137

Notable Injuries

Nuggets

• Aaron Gordon (Out) Rib
• Jamal Murray (Questionable) Knee
• Zeke Nnaji (Out) Shoulder
• Collin Gillespie (Out) Lower Leg

Cavaliers

• Ricky Rubio (Out) Injury Management

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Denver is 41-18 overall. When taking to the road, Denver has a mark of 14-14 and a win percentage of 50%. Currently, the team is 1st in the Western Conference. So far, they are 32-26-1 vs. the spread. In their matchup against Cleveland, the Denver Nuggets have won 3 straight games and will look to push that mark to 4 in a row.

In their preceding game, the Nuggets overpowered the Mavericks, earning a 118-109 win as 6 point favorites. Jeff Green led the way for the Nuggets, putting up 24 points on 68.8% shooting. The Nuggets not only secured the victory but also covered the spread.

Heading into the game, Cleveland is 38-23 overall. When playing at home, Cleveland has a mark of 25-6 and a win percentage of 81%. Currently, the team is 4th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 34-26-1 vs. the spread. In Cleveland’s last 5 games, the Cavaliers have a straight-up record of 4-1 while going 3-2 in those games. Going back to the last 10, they are 8-2 and 7-3 ATS.

In their last game, Cleveland was defeated by the 76ers with a score of 118-112. Despite Donovan Mitchell scoring 33 points, the team was unable to come out on top. Going into the game, the Cavaliers were 2 point favorites.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Nuggets picked up the 121-108 win over the Cavaliers. The Nuggets’ margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as 5.0 point favorite. This has been the only matchup between the two teams this season. In terms of betting, Denver has an ATS record of 3-2 in the previous 5 matchups vs. Cleveland. This mark has come on an average scoring margin of +11 points per game in favor of the Nuggets. The over-under record in these same games is 3-2, with the teams combining for an average of 219 points per game.

Analysis

For the season, Denver has put together one of the top-scoring offenses in the NBA at 117.1 points per game. When looking at their style of play, the team is currently near the league average in pace, averaging 98.4 possessions per contest. Denver has struggled with their 3-point shot this season, as they are currently ranked just 2nd in 3-point shooting percentage at 39.2%. In addition, they are near the bottom of the league in attempts, at just 30.8 attempts per contest. On defense, the Nuggets are allowing an average of 110.41 points per game, placing them 14th in the league. So far, they have done a good job defending the 3-point arc, as teams are hitting just 34.42% of their looks from deep.

Heading into this matchup, Denver is in jeopardy of not having Jamal Murray in the lineup as he is questionable. This season, he is the team’s second-leading scorer at 20.2 points per game. So far, Nikola Jokic leads the team in scoring and is averaging 24.7 points per contest.

This season, Cleveland is averaging just 111.8 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 95.7 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 23rd 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.

As the Cavaliers prepare for today’s game, Donovan Mitchell is their leading scorer with an average of 27.3 points per game. This season, Mitchell has a field goal percentage of 47.9%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Darius Garland, who is averaging 21.7 points per game.

More NBA Picks: Get our Memphis at Philadelphia recommended bet for 2/23/23

Betting Trends

• Nuggets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
• Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
• Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss.
• Cavaliers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following a ATS loss.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The Cavs are one of my favorite home teams to bet on. I love them at -2.5 tonight against a Nuggets team that had Jokic get no break playing in the All Star game, and that is vulnerable on the road. Bet your college hoops predictions for FREE this week by scoring a 50% real cash bonus up to $250 in free bets at the sportsbook with the best live betting platform on the planet! —-> Bovada Sportsbook! It’s where we play!