The Cleveland Cavaliers (43-37) and Brooklyn Nets (42-38) will each play the penultimate game of their seasons Friday with a 7:30 p.m ET tip-off at Barclays Center. Below, we look at the Cavaliers vs. Nets odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Cavaliers currently hold a one-game lead over the Nets for the seventh seed in the East, but they’ve really struggled as of late and fell out of the top-6 after going 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Cleveland has lost its last two games, most recently 120-115 to the Orlando Magic Tuesday despite being an 8-point favorite. The Cavs are just 1-2 against the Nets this season, though they did cover the spread twice.
The Nets have won their last two and currently sit eighth in the East. If they hold that spot and the Cavaliers remain seventh, it’ll set up a matchup between these teams in the play-in tournament. The Nets have been favored in each of their last seven games but they’re only 2-5 ATS in that span.
Cavaliers at Nets odds, spread and lines
- Money line: Cavaliers +290 (bet $100 to win $290) | Nets -380 (bet $380 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Cavaliers +7.5 (-107) | Nets -7.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 232.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Cavaliers at Nets key injuries
Cavaliers
- C Jarrett Allen (finger) out
- C Evan Mobley (ankle) questionable
Nets
- SG Seth Curry (ankle) probable
- PG Goran Dragic (health and safety protocols) out
- PG Ben Simmons (conditioning) out
Cavaliers at Nets odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Nets 117, Cavaliers 112
Money line
Neither of these teams has played particularly consistently as of late. It makes this a difficult matchup to predict, especially with Allen remaining out due to a finger injury.
I think the Nets win outright, but I’m not willing to bet on the money line at -380. PASS.