Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Sacramento Kings November 9 Betting Preview
The Sacramento Kings (3-6) host the Cleveland Cavaliers (8-2) in an interconference matchup at Golden 1 Center this Wednesday night.
Kings +4.5 (-110)
If you’ve watched a Sacramento Kings game this season from start to finish, give yourself a round of applause. If you haven’t, I can understand why. You probably had better things to do (like watch grass grow) than watch a team that's been historically irrelevant.
But, what if I told you that this Kings team is sort of interesting despite their record?
Although the Kings are probably headed for another draft lottery, they have found ways to stay competitive and worthy of betting conversation. Surprisingly, the Kings are just outside the top five in the league for their record against the spread at 6-3.
Led by De'Aaron Fox, who is good for 25-plus points a game, the Kings have found ways to stay in close games against good teams like the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat.
This Kings team has talent with guys like Domantas Sabonis and young wing players such as Kevin Huerter and rookie Keegan Murray. Led by the head coach and former Cleveland resident, Mike Brown, the Kings are right around the middle of the league on offense, with the 15th offensive rating and 22nd defensive rating.
While the Cavs are an arduous task, the Kings have shown their ability to stay in the game even if they haven’t won much.
Covering the spread here is far more likely, and with Fox the clear leader of this team, he will be asked to try and match the offensive output provided by Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Taking the over for Fox' point total of 26.5 looks pretty doable.
The Cavs Bounce Back
After a last-minute loss on Monday to the Los Angeles Clippers on a Paul George play, the Cavs win streak has sadly ended. The Cavs played great basketball for 45 minutes, but in the last 3 minutes, it seemed like the wheels just fell off.
This isn't a cause for concern with this Cavs team, who are playing great team basketball. Donovan Mitchell brought in another 30-point outing against the Clippers in the two-point loss. It’s tough to see this hungry Cavs team drop one to a team like the Kings, but I could see a chance of the Cavs coming out flat in the 3rd game of their west coast trip.
The Cavs are the clear favorites at (-179). Expecting another big double-double out of Jarrett Allen is on brand with J.B. Bickerstaff’s game plan, especially considering the Kings don’t seem to have an answer in the paint. It will also be a game of nostalgia for Cavs fans as they might be rewarded with the iconic Matthew Dellavedova appearance.
Taking the Donovan Mitchell total points over seems like an unbeatable bet at this point, but I’d also expect the Cavs to get some real run from their bench, considering the road trip and some minor nagging injuries. The Kings, as mentioned, are just pesky enough to make this game watchable but if the Cavs start out hot, feel free to get to bed early Kings fans, as it could get ugly fast.
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