Cleveland Cavaliers (25-15) vs. Phoenix Suns (20-20)
January 8, 2023 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: Phoenix Suns +4.5; Over/Under: +218.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Cleveland Cavaliers invade the Footprint Center to take on the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night in NBA action.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in great form as they’ve won eight of their last 12 games overall, but they will be looking to bounce back after having their three-game win streak halted by the Nuggets in a 121-108 loss on Friday. Caris LeVert led the team with 22 points on eight of 13 shooting, Darius Garland added 21 points with eight assists while Cedi Osman chipped in with 15 points off the bench. As a team, the Cavaliers shot 45 percent from the field and 10 of 26 from the 3-point line as they kept pace until the third quarter where the Nuggets started to pull away behind their 3-point shooting. The Cavaliers grabbed 18 offensive boards and committed just six turnovers, but there was no stopping the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic who tortured them with a triple-double of 28 points with 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns have been in a major slump as they’ve lost eight of their last nine games overall and they will be hoping to snap a five-game slide after getting burned by the Heat in a 104-96 loss on Friday. DeAndre Ayton led the team with 23 points and 14 rebounds, Torrey Craig added 17 points with nine rebounds on seven of 11 shooting while Mikal Bridges chipped in with 15 points and seven assists. As a team, the Suns shot just 41 percent from the field and six of 23 from the 3-point line as they suffered another slow start and were always playing from behind after scoring just 46 points in the first half. Duane Washington Jr had a rough game of just 13 points on five of 18 shooting while Mikal Bridges scored 15 points on two of 10 shooting.
Looking at the betting trends, the Cavaliers are 8-20-2 ATS in their last 30 road games, 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 Sunday games and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games overall. The Suns are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games and 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
Head to head, the over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Phoenix and the Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings in Phoenix.
The Cavaliers could be severely shorthanded here as Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are both listed as questionable, while the Suns are still missing Devin Booker and they have listed Chris Paul as questionable. The Cavaliers would be seriously hampered if Garland and Mitchell both sit out, but the Cavaliers are still deserved favorites in this spot and I think they can get it done against this slumping Suns team.
