The Cleveland Cavaliers (25-14) and Denver Nuggets (25-13) meet Friday at Ball Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Cavaliers vs. Nuggets odds, and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.
The Cavaliers failed to cover the spread as 5-point home favorites in a 90-88 win vs. the Phoenix Suns Wednesday. F Evan Mobley hit a go-ahead jumper with 4 seconds left as Cleveland won its 3rd straight game without All-Star G Darius Garland (thumb). The Cavaliers are 7-3-1 against the spread (ATS) vs. the Nuggets in their last 11 head-to-head meetings in Denver.
The Nuggets covered as 4.5-point home favorites 122-91 vs. the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday. G Jamal Murray scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the 1st quarter as Denver improved to 8-2 in its last 10 games. The Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.
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Cavaliers at Nuggets odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:33 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Cavaliers +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Nuggets -210 (bet $210 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Cavaliers +5.5 (-112) | Nuggets -5.5 (-108)
- Over/Under (O/U): 220.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
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Cavaliers at Nuggets key injuries
Cavaliers
- G Darius Garland (thumb) questionable
- G Donovan Mitchell (rest) out
Nuggets
- Not yet submitted
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
Cavaliers at Nuggets picks and predictions
Prediction
Nuggets 115, Cavaliers 114
Moneyline
PASS.
While I do like the Nuggets (-210) to win, the price is too high considering Denver could be due for a letdown after an impressive win on national television Thursday. Bet the spread or total instead.
Against the spread
BET CAVALIERS +5.5 (-112).
Cavaliers G Donovan Mitchell resting may sound bad for Cleveland bettors, but the news is already baked into the number and gives motivation for other Cavaliers players to take on bigger roles. Cleveland is a deep team and shouldn’t have too much trouble replacing Mitchell’s scoring for 1 game, especially if Garland is available. Take the points.
Over/Under
BET OVER 220.5 (-112).
The Nuggets are 1 of the worst defensive teams in the league and entered Thursday’s matchup vs. the Clippers ranked No. 27 in defensive efficiency. The Over is 5-0 in Denver’s last 5 games after covering in its previous game and 5-1 in the Nuggets’ last 6 games vs. teams with a winning record. Look for Denver’s defense to regress toward the mean after a dominant outing Thursday.
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