The already-desperate Cleveland Cavaliers will be without top scorer Kevin Love for the third straight game when they arrive in Sacramento to play the Kings tonight. The Cavs are coming off losses of 23 points vs the Clippers and nine points to the Suns on this road trip. The Kings are a 9.5-point home favorite in this game and the total is hovering near 229.5.
Cavaliers vs Kings Game Center
Standout Stats
- Sacramento won the only other game between the teams this season 129-110 on December 7 in Cleveland. The Kings shot 57.1 percent from the floor and 44.8 percent from behind the arc. Tristan Thompson had four points before getting the “thank you, next.”
- De’Aaron Fox has scored 30 or more points just three times this season. He had 30 points in the first meeting between these teams. Fox averaged 18 points in March and had just nine points in 24 minutes in a loss to Houston on Tuesday.
- The total has gone OVER in each of Cleveland’s last five games with an average combined score of 231. However, the total has gone UNDER in 15 of the Kings’ last 21 games vs the Eastern Conference.
- Sacramento has the No. 6 scoring offense in the league since the all-star break at 115.4 points per game. The Kings have the No. 4 three-point percentage in the league at 37.8 percent. They’re allowing 115.6 points per game.
- Cleveland is scoring 109.5 points per game and allowing 115 points per game. Looking more closely at the Cavs’ last 10 games, opponents are scoring 118.5 points per game and Cleveland has lost by an average of 13.4 points in its last eight losses.
- Sacramento has been a home favorite of 9 points or more just four times this season. They are 4-0 SU and 2-2 ATS with an average winning margin of nine points.
- The Cavs have been a road underdog of 10 points or less 19 times this season, going 3-16 SU but 11-8 vs the spread. However, they are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five games in this spot.
My Pick for Cavs vs Kings
Kings -9.5
The Cavaliers are 2-8 in their last 10 and are just playing out the string on the season. Sacramento, meanwhile, has been one of the best spread bets in the NBA this year at 24-13-2 ATS at home and 10-2-2 ATS at home vs Eastern Conference visitors.
I normally shy away from double-digit spreads, but I think Sacramento wins this one in a walk.
The total has gone OVER in each of Cleveland’s last five games with an average combined score of 231.away The Kings have the No. 4 three-point percentage in the league at 37.8 percent.away The Kings are 10-2-2 ATS at home vs Eastern Conference teams.home
