Cavaliers vs. Nuggets prediction, odds, pick – 12/27/2024
Yesterday at 02:43 AM
Things are heating up once again following the NBA’s Christmas Day showcase as we bring you a betting prediction and pick for this next meeting of conference heavyweights. The Cleveland Cavaliers (26-4) will visit the Denver Nuggets (16-12) as the squads conclude their season series, Cleveland leading 1-0. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Cavaliers-Nuggets prediction and pick.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference and also own the best record in the NBA. They’ve gone 9-1 over the last 10 and ride a five-game winning streak heading into this meeting. They’ll have a stern test playing in Denver but come in as the betting favorites nonetheless.
The Denver Nuggets are sitting in the Western Conference five-spot and most recently dropped their Christmas Day game 110-100 to Phoenix. While it was just their second loss over the last seven games, they’re still searching for more consistency against some of the tougher competition in the league.
Here are the Cavaliers-Nuggets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers-Nuggets Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers: -2 (-110)
Moneyline: -136
Denver Nuggets: +2 (-110)
Moneyline: +116
Over: 237 (-110)
Under: 237 (-110)
How To Watch Cavaliers vs. Nuggets
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
TV: Altitude Sports, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, NBA League Pass
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Cavaliers Could Cover the Spread/Win
Not only have the Cavaliers managed five consecutive wins heading into this game, but they’ve notched each one by double-digits and are effectively running through most of their competition. With Boston recently falling to Philadelphia, the Cavaliers are beginning to emerge as the favorites to emerge out of the East. As long as they’re able to remain healthy and continue playing with this kind of chemistry, we could be looking at a serious championship contender in Cleveland.
The NBA’s latest Power Rankings:
1) Cavaliers
2) Thunder
3) Celtics
4) Grizzlies
5) Knicks pic.twitter.com/dBeZqs8DqD— Cavaliers Nation (@WeAreCavsNation) December 24, 2024
As it stands, the Cavs don’t have many glaring holes in their game and they’re prepared with depth top-to-bottom, making them a very dangerous team in playoff situations. With Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley playing at an all-defensive level, they become a huge problem for most teams with their sheer length around the paint. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Caris LeVert are all willing scorers and this team can find a hot hand on any given night.
Why the Nuggets Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Denver Nuggets lost a tough game against the Phoenix Suns on Christmas and while they kept the game close throughout, they eventually ran out of scoring options as Nikola Jokic was kept in check during the final sequences of the game. While Jokic is still the best basketball player in the world right now, the Nuggets will certainly have to lift some of the pressure from him and find sustainable offense when he’s off the floor.
Jamal connects to beat the shot clock pic.twitter.com/FyoVy2apUW
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2024
The Nuggets certainly struggle in the paint without Aaron Gordon in the lineup and their biggest issue was not securing rebounds during their last game. Michael Porter Jr. had a great scoring night with 22 points, but he’s far more effective for his team when he’s able to grab a high number of rebounds and start the fast break for them. Look for this Nuggets team to play with a much higher pace than we’ve seen over their last few showings.
Final Cavaliers-Nuggets Prediction & Pick
This will be another fun meeting between two contenders this season, but the Cleveland Cavaliers won the first meeting handily at 126-114. The Cavs were hot from three during that game while the Nuggets failed to get going from behind the arc, leaving Jokic to support most of their scoring efforts.
Not only do the Cavaliers own the league’s best record, but they’ve gone 21-9 against the spread this season, 8-4 ATS on the road, and are 24-3 overall when listed as the betting favorites. If Aaron Gordon remains out for the Nuggets, Denver could have some serious issues in securing rebounds against both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Not only is Cleveland’s defense very tall inside, but they’re extremely athletic and average 9.1 steals per game.
I think the difference in this game will be the front court for Cleveland being too much to handle for Nikola Jokic on his own. Unless the Nuggets can find someone to have a breakout performance, I expect the Cavaliers’ trends to continue as they advance to 14-1 at home on the season.
Final Cavaliers-Nuggets Prediction & Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -2 (-110)
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