The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to the Moda Center to battle the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Cleveland Cavaliers 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in decent shape as they’ve split their last six games, but they will be hoping to bounce back after getting beaten by the Kings in a 132-120 road loss on Monday. Donovan Mitchell led the team with 22 points and five assists, Caris LeVert added 21 points off the bench while  Max Strus chipped in with 19 points. As a team, the Cavaliers shot 49 percent from the field and 16 of 35 from the 3-point line as they did their best to hang within striking distance of the Kings, until the third quarter where they leaked 42 points to fall behind by as many as 21 points. 

Cleveland Cavaliers Team Facts

• The Cavaliers have won each of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents after losing as favorites.
• The Cavaliers have covered the spread in each of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents after losing as favorites.
• Each of the Cavaliers’ last nine games as road favorites have gone OVER the total points line.

 

Portland Trail Blazers 

Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers have been in a slump with six losses in their first nine games overall and they will be hoping to arrest a three-game skid after getting beaten by the Lakers in a 116-110 road loss on Sunday. Jerami Grant led the team with 23 points on eight of 17 shooting, Shaedon Sharpe added 19 points while Skylar Mays chipped in with 15 points and 12 assists. As a team, the Trail Blazers shot 50 percent from the field and 13 of 37 from the 3-point line which was good enough to take the narrow lead into halftime, but there was no holding off the Lakers who used a 23-9 run in the third quarter to pull away in the end.

Portland Trail Blazers Team Facts

• The Trail Blazers have lost each of their last 10 home games following a loss.
• The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last 11 home games against Eastern Conference opponents.
• Each of the Trail Blazers’ last five night games on the second leg of a back-to-back have gone UNDER the total points line.

Peter’s Pick

The Cavaliers are still missing Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro, while the Trail Blazers have ruled out Malcolm Brogdon and Scoot Henderson once again. The Cavaliers come into this meeting as the team in better form despite their recent loss to the Kings, but it won’t be a walkover as the Trail Blazers have been playing a little better than their record suggests as the Lakers found out on Sunday. The Cavaliers are the playing the better basketball right now and this is a game they should win easily, but I think the Trail Blazers hang around just long enough to make it interesting in the end.