The Oklahoma City Thunder's 15-game winning streak SU is in jeopardy on Wednesday night, with oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook listing the Cleveland Cavaliers - who are in the midst of a 10-game winning streak SU themselves - as the narrow betting favorites to end their unblemished wave of success.
Here's a spread, moneyline, total, and player prop expert pick for this colossal showdown at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on January 8, 2025.
The first game in NBA history between a team on a 15-game winning streak (@okcthunder) and a team on a 10-game winning streak (@cavs) is set for tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 7, 2025
More numbers to know about the historic matchup of conference leaders ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/OxFZHM491B
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Odds
Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 7 p.m. ET
Team | Spread | Money | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Oklahoma City Thunder | +2.5 (-110) | +118 | O 228 (-110) |
Cleveland Cavaliers | -2.5 (-110) | -138 | U 228 (-110) |
Odds as of January 8, 2025 at FanDuel
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Expert Picks
Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5 (-110), ML (-138)
All good things come to an end eventually, and falling at the hands of the only team currently possessing a better win-loss record than them could at least be justified for the Thunder. These two teams will also meet again on January 16, so regardless of the result here, they'll at least get another crack at each other not long from now.
Cleveland's dominance in its backyard can't be understated, being the only team in the Association with just a single home loss to its name at 18-1 SU, with that lone defeat coming against the Atlanta Hawks by 11 points in late November. It's also a respectable 13-6 in covering the spread, although three of the last five home games have resulted in failed covers with the Cavaliers favored by a staggering 14 or more points on each occasion. The 2.5-point spread is actually the second-lowest of the season for Cleveland at home, but the team is a perfect 4-0 both SU and ATS when it's a four-point margin or fewer.
Six of Oklahoma City's 15 wins during this ongoing streak have come on the road, but the most obvious factoid of the year is that none of the teams it beat are on the same level as the Cavaliers, who the Thunder have defeated three-straight times SU but haven't played in well over a year.
If there was ever a matchup to deem a coin toss, it's this one. Being at home could turn out to be the deciding factor here in favor of Cleveland, and beyond Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points, 12.2 rebounds) in the middle, and as stout defensively as the Thunder can be (102.7 points allowed per 100 possessions, first), the two-headed monster of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen may simply be too big to deal with around the basket.
UNDER 228 Total Points (-110)
Four of the last five games between Cleveland and Oklahoma City have reached an UNDER on the total score line, and this latest meeting should be no exception with two highly-respected defenses colliding.
The Cavaliers have the second-best OVER/UNDER record at 23-12, but the Thunder are fifth from the bottom at 15-20-1.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Player Prop
Lu Dort OVER 2.5 Made 3-Pointers (+136)
Despite ranking eighth overall in team defense, the Cavaliers only sit 22nd in opponent's 3-point shooting percentage at 36.4 percent. That's a positive sign for Lu Dort with his plus-money 3-point prop being set at +136, and his recent history suggests this is incredible value.
Dort has converted three or more triples in four-straight games and five of his last six appearances. He also made exactly three 3-pointers in each meeting with Cleveland last season, as well. Dort leads the Thunder in both makes (2.5) and attempts (6.4) from behind the arc during this 15-game streak, as well, so it's safe to assume he'll have plenty of chances to topple this number.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Trends
*all betting trends courtesy of Outlier