The Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets meet Wednesday in NBA action at the Barclays Center. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since LeBron left for the second time. After 51 wins, the Cavs enter the fourth full season under coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The Cavaliers didn’t lose any players from their key core and still managed to add rotation players in Georges Niang and Max Strus. That’s great news for a Cavs roster that still has Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland. You can talk about the youth and how overmatched they looked in last year's playoffs, but the Cavs have one of the better teams in the East on paper. It’s just a matter of things playing out on the court.
Brooklyn Nets Betting Preview
The Brooklyn Nets won 45 games last year and enter the first full season under coach Jacque Vaughn. The Nets no longer have the drama of Kyrie, Harden and Durant, and they also said goodbye to Yuta Watanabe, Joe Harris, Seth Curry and Patty Mills. The Nets added Lonnie Walker, Dennis Smith, Harry Giles and Darius Bazley. A lot of roster turnover in terms of role players, but the Nets' success will come down to Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikel Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton, a respectable core for a team that recently lost 3 superstars. Of course the elephant in the room is the health of Ben Simmons who is on the court and says he’s good, but he’s played in just 100 games since 2020-21. The Nets have the potential to be sneaky good this season, but the health and production of Simmons is key.
Randy’s Pick
The Cleveland Cavaliers in a near pick em spot would be intriguing, but this line is what it is for a reason. The Cleveland Cavaliers enter this contest banged up which includes no Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade and Darius Garland is questionable with a hamstring injury. If the Brooklyn Nets are going to make a run toward a potential playoff spot this season, these are the games they need to take advantage of. At home and against a hobbled team. Give me the Nets.
AUTHOR: Randy Chambers
Follow Randy Chambers on Twitter @WizardOf0dds