The Cleveland Cavaliers (27-4) and Golden State Warriors (16-15) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. ET at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The game will broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Cavaliers are 3.5-point favorites over the Warriors on the spread (Cavs -3.5), with the over/under set at 231 total points. Cleveland is a -165 favorite to win outright, while Golden State is +140 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Cavaliers vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks for Monday night.
Cavaliers vs. Warriors Picks, Prediction
Spread
My Warriors vs. Cavaliers best bet is on Cleveland to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at bet365. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Moneyline
I don't love the Cavs moneyline as a straight bet. However, I will be combining it with a few player props to round out my same game parlay for this contest.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in tonight's matchup.
My Pick: Cavaliers -3.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs. Warriors Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Cavaliers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 231 -110 / -110 | -165 |
| Warriors Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 231 -110 / -110 | +140 |
- Cavaliers vs. Warriors spread: Cavaliers -3.5
- Cavaliers vs. Warriors over/under: 231 total points
- Cavaliers vs. Warriors moneyline: Warriors +140, Cavaliers -165
- Cavaliers vs. Warriors best bet: Cavaliers -3.5 (-110)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers continue their Western Conference road trip with a matchup in the Bay. It's the front end of a back-to-back set for them to close out the calendar year.
The Cavaliers are relatively healthy coming into this matchup and are just missing Isaac Okoro (shoulder) for this contest. The Warriors will be without Brandin Podziemski (abdomen) and Gary Payton II (calf), while Moses Moody (knee) is listed as Probable.
The Cavaliers have flat out been the better and more consistent team this season. They have the league's best record (27-4), they are third in Adjusted Net Rating (+7.3) and have the league's No. 1 Adjusted Offensive Rating (118.6), per Dunks and Threes — and they have maintained a level of excellence this season through elite shot selection.
The Cavaliers have the best eFG% (60.1%), while dominating from beyond the arc (41.5%) and midrange (49.5%), both marks far above the league-average, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the surprising points for the Cavaliers is they are below average in Rebounding %, and this could be an exploitable weakness for them.
The Warriors are floating around .500 this season, with the thirteenth-best Adjusted Net Rating (+2.0). They are being carried by their defense, which is seventh-best (110.4), per Dunks and Threes.
The addition of Dennis Schroder should help the Warriors with shot creation in the non-Curry minutes, but that comes at a defensive cost.
The one problem the Warriors have run into this season is they are allowing a high frequency of three-pointers, with opponents shooting 39.8% of their shots from beyond the arc, per Cleaning the Glass. While they defend those well, it will not shift the Cavaliers' offensive game plan for this matchup.
Cavaliers vs. Warriors Predictions, Best Bets
These two teams met back in November and the Cavaliers dominated that game in a 136-117 victory. The Cavaliers shot 48% from deep and controlled the game from start to finish.
These teams are in completely different spots at this point of the season, and the Cavaliers are cruising. I see no reason to deviate from them here. The Cavs are 22-9 ATS this season, while the Warriors are 15-15-1, including a 6-8-1 ATS mark at home. I'll lay the points with Cleveland tonight as my best bet.
For my same game parlay, I'll grab Cavs Moneyline, Garland 2+ Three-Pointers, and Dean Wade Over 5.5 Points for a potential payout of +190.
Best Bet: Cavaliers -3.5
Warriors vs. Cavaliers Parlay Picks
- Cavaliers Moneyline (-200)
- Darius Garland 2+ Three Pointers (-400)
- Dean Wade Over 5.5 Points (-130)
Parlay Payout: +190
