The Cleveland Cavaliers close out a brief three-game homestand Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, with both teams looking to respond after lopsided losses.
The Warriors have lost two in a row and need a win to stay in the hunt for home-court advantage in the Western Conference play-in race. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have climbed to the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference and also need a win to stay on track after coming up short in their last game.
Cleveland has been tough on Golden State recently, with the Warriors losing four of the last five matchups. But the Warriors took the last meeting 99-94 on Dec. 6, despite missing several key players in what was the first night of a back-to-back. Pat Spencer led Golden State with 19 points, while Donovan Mitchell scored 29 for Cleveland.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Odds
Moneyline: Cavaliers (-470) vs Warriors (+360)
Spread: Cavaliers -10 (-112) vs Warriors +10 (-107)
Total (O/U): Cavaliers o226.5 (-114) vs Warriors u226.5 (-110)
Editor’s note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Preview
It’s been a tough season for the Warriors, both overall and recently, as they once again face a play-in battle for a postseason spot. Their roster is also thin due to injury concerns. Golden State sent a lineup featuring mostly younger players against the Spurs on Wednesday. As expected, they lost 127-113. Nate Williams led the team with 18 points while playing a team-high 47 minutes, and LJ Cryer and Omer Yurtseven added 17 points each.
The loss extends Golden State’s recent record to nine wins in their last 26 games, highlighting the team’s struggles in Steph Curry’s absence. The Warriors are currently 10th in the Western Conference play-in standings. While the probability of moving into the eighth spot hasn’t dropped to zero, they trail the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers by 2.5 games and are three games behind the eighth-place LA Clippers with six games remaining.
The Cavaliers failed to catch the Knicks for the third spot in the East after suffering a 127-112 loss to the Lakers. Jarrett Allen had 18 points, while James Harden added 17.
They are 1.5 games behind New York for the third spot and have a 3.5-game cushion over the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks. The Cavaliers will need to win as many games as possible to secure a higher seeding for the postseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Injury Reports
Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report
Jaylon Tyson (toe) and Dean Wade (ankle) remain out for the Thursday game.
Golden State Warriors Injury Report
The Warriors had quite a few late scratches last night, including Gui Santos (pelvis), Kristaps Porzingis (illness), Gary Payton (knee) and De’Anthony Melton (thumb). They are all expected to return to the rotation. The remaining concern is Quentin Post, who is dealing with a foot injury.
Meanwhile, Al Horford (soleus), Steph Curry (knee), Jimmy Butler (ACL) and Moses Moody (knee) are all listed out.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Starting Lineups
Cavaliers
PG: James Harden | SG: Donovan Mitchell | SF: Max Strus | PF: Evan Mobley | C: Jarrett Allen
Warriors
PG: Brandin Podziemski | SG: De’Anthony Melton | SF: Gui Santos | PF: Draymond Green | C: Kristaps Porzingis
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Prediction
The bettor expects a relatively comfortable double-digit victory for the Cavs, who are 8.5-point favorites. The Warriors must be reeling from Steph Curry’s absence, and Cleveland should be able to capitalize on it. James Harden and Co. should cover the spread for a win, with the team total expected to go over 226.5 points.
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