The Toronto Raptors are still pretty banged up, but thanks to O.G. Anunoby and Fred VanVleet, they got a much-needed victory over the weekend against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Can the shorthanded Raps carry that momentum over into Monday night’s matchup against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is also missing bodies?
I break down the numbers and bring you my best bet in my NBA betting picks and predictions for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.
Cavaliers vs Raptors best odds
Cavaliers vs Raptors picks and predictions
The Raptors are starting to get healthy with Fred VanVleet returning to the lineup over the weekend. and giving his team a much-needed boost against the Mavs. There are also rumblings that Pascal Siakam — who was playing at an MVP level before hurting his groin — could be back soon.
However, he’s unlikely to be available for this game, along with Precious Achiuwa and Otto Porter Jr. Reigning Rookie of the Year, Scottie Barnes is questionable with a knee injury.
Despite losing all the games to injuries, Toronto has continued to play solid defense — a true testament to Nick Nurse and his coaching staff. It ranks 11th in the NBA in defensive rating and eighth in opponent points per game.
The Raptors play a high-energy, aggressive defense that switches all over the place, and disrupts the passing lanes to the point when they lead the NBA in steals by a fairly wide margin. They are coming off holding Luka Doncic and the Mavs to just 100 points.
The Cavaliers are a strong offensive team headlined by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley. However, no Jarrett Allen and Kevin Love hurt their depth. They’ve scored 102 points in each of their last two games and they play at the second-slowest pace in the NBA.
That’s something the Raps are more than happy to do. While many of their points come in the transition game, their half-court offense leaves something to be desired, ranking 28th in effective field goal percentage.
On top of that, they also rank in the bottom third of the league in pace of play. I like the Under 216 here tonight.
My best bet: Under 216 (-107 at PointsBet)
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Cavaliers vs Raptors spread analysis
The spread for this Eastern Conference matchup is really interesting. The Raptors opened as 2-point favorites and have been bet to -3, opening the door for a lot of consideration.
This line would tell me oddsmakers expect Pascal Siakam to play this game, but I'm not so sure. I would keep an eye on the status of both Siakam and Scottie Barnes. If they are unable to go I would jump on Cleveland as quickly as possible.
The Cavaliers are playing the second half of a back-to-back and haven’t played as well lately, but the talent is obviously still there. This is a team that ranks third in the NBA in net rating, and a short-handed Raptors squad looked outmatched in a 112-98 loss to a Nets team that was also playing in the second half of a back-to-back.
As I said, the status of Siakam and Barnes is huge to this spread. If they go, I’d stay away. If not, the Cavs are clearly the more talented team and worth a look as underdogs.
Cavaliers vs Raptors Over/Under analysis
This total hit the board at 213, but that number didn’t last long and was quickly bet up to 216. As I said, that number is high enough to attack the Under.
The first matchup between these teams saw the total points land at 213, and that was with mostly healthy lineups. The offensive weapons won’t be as abundant this time around, while the effort on defense does not seem to wane.
Plus, the heavy legs of playing two games in two nights could slow Cleveland's offense a bit as well. This game feels like yet another grind-it-out, close matchup that will fall below the number.
Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know
The Under is 4-1 in the Cavaliers' last five overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.
Cavaliers vs Raptors game info
| Location: | Scotiabank Center, Toronto, ON |
| Date: | Monday, November 28, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports Ohio, TSN4 |
Cavaliers vs Raptors key injuries
