Visiting Nets Favored Over Wounded Cavaliers

The Brooklyn Nets (12-5 SU, 7-9-1 ATS) are on a hot streak as they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (9-8, 11-5-1) on Monday at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Nets have won two straight games and five of their last six outings while the Cavaliers are on a three-game skid. Brooklyn is 5-2 in its last seven games against Cleveland.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Nets opened as 8-point favorites on the road over the Cavaliers. The total was set at 206.5 points with the UNDER going 7-0 in Cleveland’s last seven games. Cleveland is 11-3-1 ATS in its last 15 contests while Brooklyn is 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight games against opponents from the Central Division.

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Brooklyn News & Notes

The Nets scraped by with a 115-113 win over the lowly Orlando Magic on Friday as James Harden posted 36 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for a double-double. Patty Mills (22 points) also recorded his second straight game with 20-plus points. The team has averaged 108.4 points per game this season (12th) but has picked up the pace recently, netting 114.3 points per game during its current 5-1 run.

Kevin Durant, who leads the Nets with 28.6 points per game this season, sat out against the Magic with a shoulder injury but is likely to return Monday. Bruce Brown (hamstring) also left Friday’s contest and is out for Monday.

Cleveland News & Notes

The Cavaliers fell 104-89 to the league-leading Golden State Warriors in their last outing Thursday as Steph Curry put up 40 points. Darius Garland led the way for Cleveland with 25 points while Kevin Love and Dean Wade both scored 17.

The Cavs have struggled offensively this season at just 101.7 points per game (25th), and they’ve failed to reach the 100-point mark in six straight contests dating to November 10.

Jarrett Allen (illness), Lauri Markkanen (quarantine) and Cedi Osman (back) are all questionable for Monday. Evan Mobley (elbow) is expected to miss the next two to four weeks and Collin Sexton (knee) is done for the season after tearing his meniscus on November 7.

How Brooklyn Will Cover

The Nets have been playing good basketball over the past few weeks, boasting a record of 8-2 over their last 10 games. Durant should return on Monday and give the team yet another leg up on the Cavs, who have lost multiple key players recently. With Durant and Harden leading the offense, it has all the makings of a big win for Brooklyn.

How Cleveland Will Cover

The Cavaliers have dropped their last three games but they still boast the third-best defense in the NBA at just 101.7 points against per game. If they’re going to beat the Nets – or at least keep the game close – they’ll need to rely on their defensive game, especially without top scorers Sexton and Mobley.

Computer Pick: Cavaliers +7.5

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