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The Cleveland Cavaliers go on the road to face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, March 21 in a game that has critical postseason implications for both teams. Cleveland will be in the Big Apple for much of the week, as a scheduling quirk has them facing the Nets on the road in back to back games on Tuesday and Thursday, a stretch that could feel like a playoff series given the late stage in the season.
Cavs vs Nets: What are the Odds?
The Cavaliers are sitting solidly in fourth place, 4.5 games behind Philadelphia and Boston for the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, and 2.5 games ahead of the Knicks in fifth. With just nine games to go in the season, it would take a heroic effort for them to leapfrog the Sixers or Celtics, but they’ve got some work to do before they can really write off the Knicks. Ohio’s BetMGM Sportsbook has the Cavaliers tied at +3000 for the ninth-best title odds this season. While they don’t have the best chances of winning it all this season, this year’s playoffs are an excellent choice for a young team to get their footing when the games matter most and continue growing and developing in order to maximize their opening championship window.
The Nets have sputtered down the stretch, losing their last three games in a row as part of a 5-5 stretch. As such, the stakes they face in this game are much higher.
They’re in sixth place right now, just one game ahead of No. 7 seed Miami. The seventh through tenth seeds don’t get an automatic playoff berth: they have to start their path to the NBA Finals with the play-in tournament, where they’ll play two games (and have to win one) in order to secure a playoff spot. BetMGM Ohio doesn’t like the Nets chances at all: they’re tied for the fifteenth-best odds of winning a title this season at +20000.
The Nets aren’t dead yet though, and one trend gives them a slight advantage over the Cavaliers. Home court advantage has the biggest impact in the NBA out of the four major North American pro sports, with the home team winning roughly 60% of games, something that bookies make sure to keep in mind when they’re setting the betting lines. The Cavaliers have played to a 16-20 record in road games this season, so being away from home seems to affect the young team more than it does other top seeds around the league. As of Monday morning, the betting lines hadn’t dropped yet for Tuesday’s game, so stay tuned and be sure to use BetMGM Ohio Bonus Code if you want to wager on the game.
Here’s a look at how both teams have fared recently to give you a better idea of how the game could shake out.
A Look at the Cavs
The Cavaliers have been picking up steam since the calendar rolled over to March, going 6-3 in nine games. They’ve struggled a bit against current playoff teams, splitting a pair of games with the Heat and Celtics, but they’ve been able to take care of business against the rest of the field.
A big part of their current run has been wing Caris LeVert, who is averaging 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game this month, all off the bench. He’s an excellent defender too, giving Cleveland an excellent rotational option.
Nets fans know LeVert all too well, as he began his career with Brooklyn from 2016 to 2021. Keep an eye on the pesky wing during the games this week to see if he’ll have a signature moment against his former team.
A Look at the Nets
After an emotional 122-120 road win over the Denver Nuggets, the top seed in the western conference, Brooklyn fell back down to earth, losing 121-107 against the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder before dropping games to the Sacramento Kings and Denver. It’s been a rollercoaster season for Nets fans. After trading James Harden to the 76ers for Ben Simmons last year, they saw Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving jump ship as their vaunted Big Three never managed to get off the ground.
Even with the media attention for that star-studded group subsided, the Nets are still having trouble playing as a team. Head coach Jacque Vaughn said Monday that the Nets need to play as a team as it pertains to rebounding. They give up a 28th-best 11.5 offensive boards per game, and Vaughn said that everyone on the team needs to focus on getting rebounds rather than just leaving it up to the big men in the paint. Stay tuned Tuesday to see if that message sinks in.
Frankie Wilde – is a content writer at various gambling sites. Also, he is a passionate traveler and a great cook. Frankie shares informative articles with the world.