Cleveland Cavaliers vs Denver Nuggets Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Cavaliers vs Nuggets prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Denver.

  • The Cavaliers face the Nuggets in Denver at 26-4.
  • Defensively, Cleveland are giving up 110.2 points per game.
  • The Cavaliers are coming off a 124-113 win vs. the Nuggets.
  • The Nuggets take on the Cavaliers at 16-12.
  • The Nuggets are averaging 119.1 points per game so far.
  • The Nuggets are looking to bounce back from a loss to the Cavaliers.

Cavaliers vs Nuggets Prediction

At 9:00 ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers (-135) will travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets (+114) in a non-conference matchup. The Cavaliers are currently favored by 2.5 points and have won five straight games. The over/under line for this game is set at 236.5 points.

This game will be played at Ball Arena in Denver and can be seen on ALT. The Cavaliers are currently 26-4 and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference, while the Nuggets are 16-12 and are fifth in the Western Conference.

Cavaliers vs. Nuggets Matchup At A Glance

  • Sport: NBA
  • Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers at Denver Nuggets
  • Where: Denver at Ball Arena
  • Date: Friday, December 27th
  • Betting Odds CLE -2.5, CLE -135 | DEN +114 O/U 236.5

Cavaliers Preview: Do the Cavaliers Stand a Chance in Denver?

The Cavaliers improved to 26-4 on the season with a 124-113 win over the Jazz on Monday. Playing at home, Cleveland was favored by 14 points but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game finished at 237, just over the pre-game line of 232.5.

Cleveland took control in the 3rd quarter, outscoring Utah 39-32 to lead 99-88 going into the 4th. The final quarter was even at 25-25, allowing the Cavs to secure the win.

The Cavaliers' offense was fueled by 20 made threes at a 43.5% clip in their win over the Jazz, despite shooting 47.3% overall from the field. Darius Garland led the way with 23 points and 8 assists, hitting 3 threes at 50% efficiency.

Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley each added 22 points, with Mobley connecting on 3 threes at 60%. Sam Merrill was key in the 3rd quarter, scoring 14 of his 20 points in the period.

Despite giving up 113 points, the Cavaliers’ defense did enough to secure the win over the Jazz. They allowed 27 points in the 1st quarter and 29 in the 2nd, with their worst defensive showing in the 3rd, giving up 32 points. However, they tightened up in the 4th, allowing just 25 points. Overall, Cleveland held Utah to 41% shooting from the field.

The Cavaliers struggled to defend the three-point line, where the Jazz hit 19 threes at a 43% clip. Cleveland also sent Utah to the line 26 times, with the Jazz converting 18 free throws. On the boards, the Cavaliers gave up 18 offensive rebounds but came away with 10 steals and 3 blocks.

Nuggets Preview: Can Denver Secure a Home Victory?

The Cavaliers improved to 26-4 on the season with a 124-113 win over the Jazz on Monday. Playing at home, Cleveland was favored by 14 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total score of 237 points went over the line of 232.5.

Cleveland led 29-27 after the 1st quarter and 60-56 at halftime. A strong 3rd quarter, where they outscored Utah 39-32, gave them a 99-88 lead going into the 4th. Both teams scored 25 points in the final quarter.

In their 110-100 loss to the Suns, the Nuggets struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 8 threes at a 27.6% rate. Overall, they shot 46.2% from the field, which was below their average.

Nikola Jokić led Denver with 25 points and 15 rebounds, scoring 15 of his points in the 1st quarter. Michael Porter Jr. added 22 points, while Russell Westbrook contributed 17.

Despite a strong defensive effort in the 2nd quarter, where they held the Suns to just 20 points, the Nuggets couldn’t overcome a rough 1st quarter, giving up 38 points in a 110-100 loss. Overall, they allowed Phoenix to shoot 46% from the field.

Denver did a solid job defending the three, limiting the Suns to 11 made threes on 30% shooting. They also sent Phoenix to the line 20 times, where the Suns converted 17 free throws. The Nuggets finished with 32 defensive rebounds, allowing 12 offensive boards, and recorded 3 steals and 2 blocks.

Cavaliers vs Nuggets Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

  • Cleveland has a 2-3 record in their last five road games. In this stretch, they averaged 115 points per game while allowing 112. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
  • Although Denver has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 0-3. The team averaged 118 points per game in these games.
  • As the betting underdog, the Nuggets have an ATS record of 4-1 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 4-1.
  • As the betting favorite, the Cavaliers have an ATS mark of just 7-3 in their last ten games. Cleveland posted a straight up mark of 9-1 in these matchups.

Cavaliers vs Nuggets Prediction

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