The Cleveland Cavaliers welcome the Los Angeles Clippers to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for a cross-conference game on Monday. The Cavaliers are 38-29 overall and 20-11 at home this season. The Clippers face a quick turnaround after a Sunday afternoon game in Detroit, and will be down a number of players including Robert Covington (personal), Reggie Jackson (rest), Marcus Morris Sr. (rest) and Norman Powell (foot). Jarrett Allen (finger), Collin Sexton (knee) and Rajon Rondo (ankle) are out for the Cavaliers, with Caris LeVert (foot), Lauri Markkanen (ankle) and Dean Wade (knee) listed as questionable.
Cleveland is listed as a seven-point home favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 213 in the latest Clippers vs. Cavaliers odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Clippers vs. Cavaliers match-up, you need to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 21 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 78-48 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Clippers vs. Cavs, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Cavs vs. Clippers:
- Clippers vs. Cavaliers spread: Cavaliers -7
- Clippers vs. Cavaliers over-under: 213 points
- Clippers vs. Cavaliers money line: Cavaliers -300, Clippers +240
- L.A.: The Clippers are 5-6 against the spread on back-to-backs
- CLE: The Cavaliers are 14-11-1 against the spread in non-conference games
Why the Clippers can cover
The Clippers rank in the top five of the NBA in 3-point accuracy this season, making more than 36 percent of long-range attempts. That offers intriguing upside and variance for L.A. on offense, but the Clippers truly excel on defense. L.A. ranks No. 7 in the NBA in defensive rating, holding opponents to fewer than 1.09 points per possession. The Clippers are No. 2 in the league in free-throw prevention, and opponents are shooting less than 45 percent from the floor and 34 percent from 3-point range.
Cleveland also struggles on the offensive end of the floor. The Cavaliers fall soundly below the league average in offensive efficiency, scoring 109.9 points per 100 possessions. Cleveland is also below-average in both 3P percentage and FT percentage, and the Cavaliers rank second-worst in the NBA in turnover rate, committing a giveaway on more than 15 percent of offensive possessions.
Why the Cavaliers can cover
On offense, the Cavaliers rank in the top 10 of the NBA in points in the paint, two-point accuracy and assists. Cleveland also lands above the league average in offensive rebound rate and field goal percentage, and L.A. is No. 25 or worse in defensive rebound rate and second-chance points allowed. On the other end, the Cavaliers are elite, holding opponents to 107.0 points per 100 possessions. That ranks No. 4 in the league in defensive rating, and Cleveland leads the NBA in FT attempts allowed at 18.7 per game.
The Cavaliers are in the top six of the league in FG percentage allowed, 2P percentage allowed, and second-chance points allowed, with above-average marks in assist prevention and points allowed in the paint. L.A. is No. 26 in the NBA in offensive rating, and the Clippers are in the bottom quartile of the league in FT creation, 2P accuracy, offensive rebound rate, and second-chance points per game.
How to make Clippers vs. Cavaliers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting 214 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the model's Cavaliers vs. Clippers pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Clippers vs. Cavaliers? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Clippers vs. Cavaliers spread you need to jump on Monday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
