On Thursday, 3/27, the Cleveland Cavaliers (58-14) will host the San Antonio Spurs (31-40) in an inter-conference Regular-Season match-up. The Cavaliers are seated firmly at the top spot in the East, while the Spurs are still fighting at the 13th spot in the West. Will the feisty Spurs surprise the elite Cavs? Read through the preview, total predictions, and player props here.
Cavaliers: Are they as good as the record suggests?
The Cleveland Cavaliers will come into this match after an 11-point win against the Portland Trail Blazers, as Darius Garland put in a 27-point masterclass. It was their second win in a row after an unlikely four-game losing streak. The losing spell came after a 16-game winning streak with three road games, casting doubt on the Cavs’ elite status despite their second-best record in the league.
However, their losses can be a result of exhaustion, and the team might prepare better for road scenarios in the postseason as they boast a 28-9 away record, after all. Overall, the squad has a lot of conventional PG-C scoring schemes and leads the league with 122.3 points per game, while making 15.9 triples a game(2nd) on 38.4% clip(1st).
Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Darius Garland | SG: Donovan Mitchell | SF: Max Strus | PF: Evan Mobley | C: Jarrett Allen
Key Injuries/Updates: Donovan Mitchell’s STATUS is UNCLEAR.
Spurs: Wemby-less squad has stitched together some wonders
The San Antonio Spurs will enter the proceedings after a 26-point loss against the Detroit Pistons despite a 26-point performance by Devin Vassell. The lack of depth showed on both ends during this game as their three-game winning streak was buried. The team has managed a 4-3 record without their ace Victor Wembanyama and their second-best player, De’Aaron Fox.
The backcourt of Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle has done the job, but they aren’t consistent enough to retain a solid offense against elite teams. Chris Paul has faded away while Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan have been weak links at the Wing position. The Spurs need major changes to become a playoff squad to build around Fox and Wemby.
Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Chris Paul | PG/SG: Stephon Castle | SG/SF: Devin Vassell | SF/PF: Harrison Barnes | C: BIsmack Biyombo
Key Injuries/Updates: De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembayanama are OUT for the season.
The Cavaliers have one of the top offenses in the league, and going post 120 is not a big deal for them. However, many predictions have been in tricky territories these days. The difference between putting a stake on over/under around the 122-123-124 mark has been razor-thin. The task is onerous more than ever because this late in the season, there have been many “under” scores, however, a squad like Cavs usually deals in the “Over” mark. At any rate, I expect the total to be in the late 220s and early 230s here.
Evan Mobley to clean up over 11.5 rebounds: The Cavaliers PF has tallied 9.4 rebounds per game in March, but has clasped 10+ boards in four of the last five games. I believe he will hoard 11+ rebounds here.
Jarrett Allen to score over 14.5 points: The Cavaliers’ big man has averaged 13.9 PPG this month but is prone to a single-digit score. However, I expect him to be in the 15-18 range.
Stephon Castle to record over 20.5 points: The Spurs guard has tallied 20 PPG in March but has been held below the mark for three straight matches. I expect him to break the funk and go past 20 here.
Bismack Biyombo to grab over 6.5 rebounds: The Spurs’ big man has averaged just 5.1 RPG this month. I expect him to go over his season’s average here.
Like midseason, this has been a difficult period of predictions. Many spreads and totals have fallen prey to the surprising play of bottom-ranked squads and some underwhelming play of some teams. But it is to be expected as the top dogs are tired at this point of the season. However, I see a rejuvenated performance from the high-quality Cavs team and a win by at least 15 points.
Safe Spread Pick: Cavaliers -16.5 for +110 at BetMGM
Photo Credit: Scott Wachter- Imagn Images
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