The Spurs have a tough test in front of them tonight as they face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although the Spurs don’t have a very strong record, they are coming off a big win over the Houston Rockets. To be fair, the Cavaliers are a much better team than the Rockets, but the Spurs put up 131 points. Another performance like that could turn into a huge upset.
The Cleveland Cavaliers come into this game as 5.5-point favorites. This isn’t much of a shock; however, the Cavaliers lost to the Rockets just a few days ago. There’s a chance that the Spurs might be able to get a win over the Cavaliers on the road. Darius Garland and the rest of Cleveland will have to play some tough defense tonight. So, who should you place a wager on for a single-game parlay?
Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers
The Spurs are far away from the top spot in the Western Conference. Still, you have to admit they have some shocking wins in their resume. We already mentioned the recent win over the Rockets, but they also beat the Chicago Bulls. Some might not know this, but the Spurs have the ninth-best scoring offense as well. They average 111.5 points per game and 45.6 rebounds.
The Cavaliers are a team that has shocked the world this season. Nobody would’ve thought that the Cavaliers would be fourth in the Eastern Conference this year. They rose to the top with an efficient offense and incredibly strong defense. On average, the Cavaliers only allow 102.11 points per game. For their sake, the defense had better be on their A-game against San Antonio.
Against The Spread: San Antonio Spurs +5.5
This might be a shocker for some to see, but we think the Spurs can pull this game off. If they don’t win it outright, they’ll at least keep it within 5.5-points. Their record this season might be pretty bad, but they’re 28-26 against the spread this year. On the road, the Spurs have gone 14-11 against the spread. Seeing just what their offense is capable of, we’ll take the Spurs +5.5.
Another reason to take San Antonio is that Cleveland is 4-6 against them in their last ten games. Over Cleveland’s last nine games, they’ve gone 3-6. Considering the Cleveland offense is known not to put up a lot of points, we don’t see them covering. Keep in mind that the Cavaliers score an average of 106.52 points per game. Not anywhere near the Spurs 111.5.
The Total: Over 216
The total in this game is pretty low, which is exactly what we want. We already know the scoring ability of the San Antonio Spurs, a top-ten offense in the NBA. The Cavaliers will be able to add to that, and the total should easily go over 216. By looking at the past games between these two, you can learn even more about the total.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland’s last 5 games against San Antonio. When these teams face each other, the fireworks go off. The last time they played was in early January, the Cavaliers won 114-109 and went over the 220 total. The smart bet in this one is taking over 220 and the San Antonio Spurs +5.5.
Player Points Prop: Jakob Poetl OVER 11.5
With the Spurs winning this game, someone has to do the scoring for them. Look for Jakob Poetl to be the beneficiary in this one. His prop is set at 11.5, and this looks like a game he can grab nearly 20 points. Take his OVER 11.5!