Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction, NBA Odds
The season series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors concludes already on Monday night when the Cavs make their only visit to Scotiabank Arena in the second of a back-to-back for both. The Dinos are 2-point underdogs on the NBA odds with a total of 235.5.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors NBA Betting Odds
While Cleveland and Toronto are part of the same Group A for the NBA Cup, this is not part of that. It can definitely get confusing. It’s a little unusual for a pair of clubs in the same conference, meaning they play at least three teams per year, to finish off a season series barely a month in but that’s where we are with these clubs.
The Cavaliers might be the most talented team in the Eastern Conference, and they surely will be very motivated Monday to avoid a three-game series sweep – and dropping both at home: 112-101 on Halloween, which was an NBA Cup game, and then losing 126-113 on Nov. 13. No other team in the NBA might win twice in Cleveland this year.
To be fair, the Cavs weren’t truly whole for either game. Former All-Star guard Darius Garland missed both injured (but is back now), while fellow All-Stars in Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen both missed one of the two. Guard Max Strus, not a star by any means but a solid “glue-guy” starter usually, hasn’t played yet this season due to foot surgery. This writer expects the Cavs to win the East if fully healthy come spring, and they are +225 favourites.
Cleveland is still 7-3 SU in the past 10 meetings overall and 5-4-1 ATS. The over-under is 5-5.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games Sunday, 120-105 over the visiting Clippers. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 37 points and passed Kyrie Irving for the fifth-most made 3-pointers in Cavs career history. It was Mitchell’s 10th game of at least 30 points this season and fifth in the past six. Evan Mobley posted his second straight double-double – seventh of the season – finishing with 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
The Cavs were without centre Jarrett Allen and guards Lonzo Ball, Sam Merrill and Craig Porter. Allen (14.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG) has now missed the past two with a finger issue and Merrill (13.9 PPG) three in a row with a hand injury. We will see Ball tonight as he simply doesn’t play both ends of a back-to-back with the injury history. Porter is a reserve who doesn’t play a ton. Cleveland is 6-14 ATS in its past 20.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto closed -12.5 at home vs. awful Brooklyn on Sunday and won a seventh straight game, 119-109; the team last won eight in a row between Jan. 29 – Feb. 10, 2022. Scottie Barnes led eight double-figure scorers with 17 points, and Ja’Kobe Walter had a season-high 16 off the bench. That’s really how the Dinos are winning these days, with their depth. And Sunday they were without centre Jakob Poeltl but simply for rest in the front end of a back-to-back, and he should be in there tonight.
However, R.J. Barrett almost surely will not be and could miss some time. He scored 16 points Sunday before leaving midway through the third because of a sprained right knee. Barrett landed awkwardly after his steal led to a fast-break dunk. He’s second on the club in scoring at 19.4 PPG. Walter could take his starting spot or perhaps Gradey Dick will. The Raptors are 9-3 ATS in their past 12 games.
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