Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Can Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Put Up Points?
The Rockets travel to Cleveland tonight to take on the Cavaliers. Can Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers put up points? Ben Rajavuori answers with his Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers prediction.
Ben Rajavuori - December 18, 2023, 5:00 PM EST
5 minHouston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Can Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Put Up Points?
The Houston Rockets travel to Cleveland tonight to take on the Cavaliers in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Rockets enter this game with a 13-10 record and have started to mesh as a team after a rocky start to the season. The Cavs enter this game with a 14-12 record and are coming off a win against the Hawks. What can we expect in tonight's game?
Rockets vs. Cavaliers Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: December 18, 2023
- Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: NBA League Pass
Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction
The Cavs are entering this game with some injury troubles. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland are out for some time, which is a problem because they were the two highest scorers on the team behind Donavan Mitchell. Mitchell leads the team with 27.3 points per game, but with Garland and Mobley off the court for a while, Caris Levert is the next highest scorer with 15.2 points per game. This leaves a hole in the Cavalier's offense which was already struggling this season.
On the other side, the Rockets rank just one spot higher in offensive rating than the Cavs. The Rockets are scoring just 109 points per game, which is 27th in the league. Alperen Sengun has been the leading scorer with 19.7 points per game, with Jalen Green (17.7 points per game) and Fred VanVleet (16.6 points per game) not far behind, but the Rockets lack the true superstar offensive player to ignite their offense.
The Rockets rank 28th in pace of play, while the Cavs come in 21st in pace. The Rockets have been playing very good defense and are ranked second in defensive rating behind the Timberwolves. The Cavs are also good in the backcourt, ranking 9th in defensive rating. With both offenses struggling, this game should be slow, with both teams playing in a defensive battle. This game should go under 215.
Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Pick
Pick: Cavaliers/Rockets Under 215 -110 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
NBA Odds
