Nine games of NBA action will be taking place across tonight’s Wednesday slate. Headlining the action, the Houston Rockets will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. These teams have both looked strong out of the gates this season and sit in the top three of their respective conferences with a combined record of 19-8.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Rockets enter as narrow 1.5-point road favorites and hold -125 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cavaliers hold +105 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at 234.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Wednesday night matchup.
Rockets at Cavaliers Preview
The Houston Rockets enter with a 9-3 record on the season and sit in third place in the Western Conference. They have won nine of their last 10 and enter on a four-game winning streak, with their three losses coming at the hands of the Thunder, Pistons and Spurs. Houston is 8-4 against the spread, and the over is 10-1-1 in games it has played this year.
As a team, the Rockets lead the NBA in scoring at 124.8 points per game and rank first in offensive rating, rebounds per game and three-point percentage (42.6%). Defensively, they are holding opponents to 113.3 points per game, which ranks sixth in the league. Houston ranks eighth in opponent field-goal percentage but gives up the fifth-most three-point attempts per game.
Kevin Durant has stepped in as the score-first talent they were missing. The 15-time All-Star leads the team with 25.9 points per game, along with 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Alperen Sengun has continued to evolve and taken his game to new heights this season, posting averages of 23.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. Following the offseason injury to Fred VanVleet, expectations were high for Reed Sheppard, who has stepped up in recent games. Last year’s third overall pick is averaging 12.6 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 47.8% from three-point range.
Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. have also taken impressive leaps in their development, although Smith Jr. is questionable for tonight’s game with a knee injury. Dorian Finney-Smith and Tari Eason remain out with injury. The Rockets’ depth is rounded out by Steven Adams, Josh Okogie, Aaron Holiday and Clint Capela.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not quite on pace to match their 64-18 record last year, but they are 10-5 to start the season and in second place in the Eastern Conference. They are 7-2 over their last nine and have won back-to-back games leading into this matchup. Their five losses have come against the Knicks, Celtics, Heat and Raptors twice. Cleveland is just 5-10 against the spread so far this season, with the over cashing in eight of the 15 games.
The Cavaliers rank seventh in the league in scoring at 120.9 points per game. They are taking 45.4 three-point attempts per game, which leads the entire NBA, but connecting at the 19th-best rate at 35.1%. Cleveland ranks eighth in assists, 18th in rebounds and 20th in field-goal percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.2 points per game against the Cavs, which ranks 16th in the league. They are allowing the eighth-fewest three-point attempts and rank 12th in opponent field-goal percentage.
Donovan Mitchell headlines the production with 30.9 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 10.3 three-point attempts per matchup, which ranks third in the league. Evan Mobley adds 18.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists this season. Second-year forward Jaylon Tyson leads the team with a 46.2% three-point percentage, but remains sidelined with a concussion. Darius Garland’s return from injury has provided a significant spark to the offense, but he is expected to miss his fifth straight game due to some lingering effects of the toe issue. Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade round out most of their notable depth. Merrill is considered questionable due to a hand injury.
Rockets at Cavaliers Prediction, Best Bet
From a game total perspective, my lean is toward the over. The level of offensive success the Rockets have produced at is a bit of a surprise, but it has reached a point that cannot be ignored. Cleveland should settle in as a strong defense with Mobley as the anchor, but it has not looked the part of this yet this year. It has struggled with teams less offensively talented than Houston, so expect the Rockets to have success tonight to push the total.
But I am backing Houston to win outright and continue its strong start. There is a level of depth and toughness that the Rockets have shown that the Cavaliers are still lacking. Houston has also been off since Sunday and will have a slight rest advantage in the matchup.
Expect the Rockets to generate some matchup advantages with Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant’s unique size and styles creating problems in the half-court. Three-point shooting can be the great equalizer, and Cleveland will continue to see plenty of attempts, but it has not connected at a reliable enough rate to count on. The Rockets have scored 122+ in seven of their past 10 games, while the Cavaliers have reached this total just six times all year.
Expect Houston’s athleticism to shine in transition and for it to push the scoring to a level that Cleveland struggles to match. When it gets to crunch time, the Rockets are more trustworthy on both sides of the ball. Count on the Rockets walking into enemy territory and picking up another noteworthy victory to extend their strong start.
