The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Spectrum Center to take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday 12/19/18.
The Cavaliers are 8-23 on the season and are near the bottom of the team standings but the injury depleted team is brimming with confidence heading to their Wednesday showdown against the Charlotte Hornets after knocking off the Indiana Pacers in Indiana on Tuesday night with a buzzer beating tip-in from Larry Nance Jr.
In Kevin Love’s absence, Jordan Clarkson has emerged as Cleveland’s leading scorer. Clarkson is averaging 16.7 points per game this season while also adding 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists nightly. Rookie Collin Sexton is having a good scoring year with 15.3 points per game while starting center Tristan Thompson is averaging a double double with his 12.0 points and 11.6 rebounds per game average. However, Thompson is out of this game and probably for the next month with a foot injury.
At 103.4 points per game, Cleveland ranks 27th in the league in team scoring. The Cavaliers are next to last in passing with just 19.9 assists per game. They are tied for 20th in rebounding with their 43.9 average. Defensively, the Cavs hold their opponents to 111.8 points per game which is 20th among 30 teams.
The Charlotte Hornets had won three straight games over the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons before facing the Knicks again last Friday night. The Hornets blew a 21 point lead and lost to a short handed Knicks’ team in overtime. The following night, the Hornets played lackluster basketball and were drubbed 128-100 by the Lakers in Charlotte. With nothing bust rest since then, Charlotte looks to get their bearings back against the Cavs.
Kemba Walker is having a fine season for the Hornets as he leads the team with 24.9 points, 6.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. But behind him, Charlotte only has two other double digit scorers in Jeremy Lamb who is contributing 15.0 points per game and Malik Monk who is adding 10.6 points per game to the Hornets’ total. Veteran guard Tony Parker is averaging 9.9 points and 4.2 assists per game off the bench for the Hornets.
The Hornets are a Top-10 scoring team this season at #7 with their 113.8 points per game average. Charlotte is also ranked 14th in passing with their 24.3 assists per game average. Michael Jordan’s team is just 22nd in the NBA in rebounding at 43.8 boards per contest while they also have the 19th best scoring defense in the league at 111.8 points per game allowed.
These teams have played a total of 108 times during the regular season. Cleveland holds the series lead 66-42 and the Cavaliers have won 10 out of their last 11 meetings. The Cavs and Hornets have played each other twice already this season with each team winning at their home floor. The Hornets won 126-94 in Charlotte last November 3, 2018 while the Cavaliers prevailed in Cleveland 113-89.
The Cavs are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games played. Cleveland is 2-13 SU in their last 15 road games played. Meanwhile, the Hornets are 3-5 SU in their last eight games played. Charlotte is 10-7 SU in 17 home games played this season. Head to head, the Cavaliers are 9-1 SU in their last 10 meetings. Cleveland is also 4-1 SU in their last five road games in Charlotte.
Despite not having Kevin Love, the Cavs have won three out of first eight games in the month of December. But with Tristan Thompson also hitting the injury list with his own foot issues, The Cavaliers are now without two starters and without their two main frontline players. That proved to be their downfall in their last two games where they played against opponents with elite big men: Giannis in Milwaukee and Embiid in Philly. Against Charlotte, the Cavs will have a better shot because the Hornets don’t have to deal with those kind of big men here.
However, having played the night before in Indiana and traveling to Charlotte for this contest and playing a Hornets team that hasn’t played since getting blown out by the Lakers at home last Saturday, I think the Cavs have their work cut out for them. Jordan Clarkson is expected to be back but his back is still going to hurt. I like Charlotte’s chances here. We’re picking the Charlotte Hornets to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on 12/19/18.
The Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games played. Cleveland is likewise 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games. On the other hand, the Hornets are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games played and Charlotte is also 9-8 ATS in 17 home games played this season. Head to head, the Cavs are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings. Cleveland is also 4-1 ATS in their last five road games against Charlotte.
Prior to their win over the Pacers on Tuesday, the Cavs lost by at least 12 points in their most recent three losses. Cleveland is without Love, Thompson and John Henson. It’s hard to make up for that many points, really. But against Charlotte, I like the Cavs’ here. They have played well against the Hornets ATS and I think that trend continues here. A dozen may be too much to ask from the Hornets. Prediction: Cavs +12.5
The total has gone over in five out of Cleveland’s last seven games played. The under is 8-3 in the Cavs’ last 11 games played on the road. The total has gone over in five out of the last six games played by Charlotte. The over is 10-7 in Charlotte’s 17 home games played this season and the over is 4-2 in Charlotte’s last six home games against the Cavs.
Surprisingly, the Cavs have hit the over often as of late but that’s because they’ve not played good defense at all and allowed their foes to score more than the usual. The Hornets are a Top 10 scoring team and while the Cavs aren’t both teams don’t possess elite defense to stop the other. When you have scenarios like this, the over is a good play here. Prediction: Over 218.5
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