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The Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers will face off in the 2023 NBA Summer League final Monday, after both teams won their semifinal games Sunday. Both teams remain perfect in Las Vegas and will attempt to cap off the showcase with a championship.
Cam Whitmore has become the pivotal player for Houston after Jabari Smith and Tari Eason were shut down. Nate Hinton and Trevor Hudgins are also important to spotlight. For the Cavaliers, Emoni Bates and Isaiah Mobley are the big names but Sam Merrill and Luke Travers have performed well in the desert.
The Cavaliers are 3-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The total sits at 190.5.
Rockets vs. Cavaliers, 9 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Cavaliers -3
Cleveland has covered or pushed on this number in every game during Summer League play. The Rockets are no pushover though, having won convincingly in every game since Smith’s buzzer-beater in the opener against the Trail Blazers. The Cavaliers just have more continuity and eventually Houston’s secondary players are bound to have an off day. Back Cleveland to lift the 2023 Summer League title.
Over/Under: Over 190.5
The Rockets are the highest scoring team in the Summer League this year, averaging 110.2 points per game. There hasn’t been much of a drop with Smith and Eason out, but even a minor regression shouldn’t hurt enough to significantly lower the total. The Cavaliers aren’t too shabby at 97.8 points per game, but they know they’re in for an offensive battle here. Take the over in this one.