Two teams in the midst of disappointing seasons are set to meet on Tuesday. The Cavaliers, despite their decent 20-17 record, has fallen short of preseason expectations. However, they’ve won three of their previous four games. Cleveland will have a chance to make it four in five against the Pacers tonight. Indiana, without Tyrese Haliburton, has delivered a horrendous 6-30 record so far.
Which players are poised for a big-time performance this evening? The Cavaliers are favored by 6.5 points (-108) over the Pacers, with the over/under set at 236.5 points. Here are two of the top prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s Cleveland vs. Indiana matchup.
Cavaliers vs. Pacers prop bet picks
Evan Mobley 10+ rebounds (-107)
There’s a decent chance the Cavaliers are without starting center Jarrett Allen (illness) tonight. That leaves a glaring hole down low in Cleveland’s frontcourt. Fortunately, the team employs another talented big man in Evan Mobley. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is inconsistent on the other end of the floor. Through 31 games this season, he’s averaging 17.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
Those aren’t bad numbers, but it may not make sense to back Mobley as a scorer. Instead, expect him to dominate on the glass. The power forward has tallied double-digit boards in 15 of his 31 appearances this season. Keep in mind, almost all of those games came with Allen on the court. The Pacers struggle to box out, giving up an NBA-worst 55.7 rebounds per game to opponents. Mobley has snagged ten or more boards in six of his last eight meetings with Indiana. That bodes well for his chances going into Tuesday’s matchup.
Andrew Nembhard 18+ points (-130)
It’s been a season from hell for the Pacers, who have been without the aforementioned Haliburton. In addition, sharpshooter Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) is sidelined. That leaves Indiana lacking in firepower outside of Pascal Siakam. One name that is poised for more work going forward is Andrew Nembhard. The scrappy guard is developing into an underrated scorer. Over 28 games, he’s accounted for 17.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists while shooting 44% from the field.
A lack of internal competition means more usage for Nembhard in this one. The Cavaliers are a good, not great, defensive unit. That’s especially true if Allen can’t suit up. Nembhard has tallied at least 20 points in five of his six games played without Mathurin. In addition, the Canadian notched a combined 53 points over two meetings with Cleveland this season. Indiana’s leading distributor should showcase his scoring ability during Tuesday’s contest.
