The 29-19 Phoenix Suns will visit the 29-20 Cleveland Cavaliers on the second night of a back to back, with Dillon Brooks coming off a career-high 40 points on 22 shots.
The Cavaliers are currently –175 favorites on the Moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set to 220.5. Below, I’ll break down tonight’s matchup and offer my prediction.
Phoenix Suns vs. Cleveland Cavaliers preview, prediction
The Phoenix Suns have exceeded expectations this season. Despite losing Kevin Durant, they’ve managed an impressive 29-19 record so far, which is good for seventh seed in the West. They’ve also been without Jalen Green for most of the season, and have lost star guard Devin Booker for a few extended stretches, as well. This team is getting contributions by committee, featuring rock-solid years from players such as Mark Williams, Royce O’Neale, Collin Gillespie, and Grayson Allen. While it’s unrealistic to expect the Suns to make a serious playoff push, they’re still competitive, and we have no idea what they actually look like when they’re fully healthy. They just beat the Pistons last night by 18 points without Booker, thanks to the aforementioned 40 piece by Dillon Brooks, whose impact on winning basketball just can’t be overstated at this point. They’ve also recently eked out wins against the Knicks twice, the Thunder, and the 76ers.
The Cavaliers sit at fifth in the East but, due to some nagging recurring injuries to Darius Garland and now missing Evan Mobley, are producing at an inconsistent level this season. Star guard Donovan Mitchell, however, is far from inconsistent. He’s averaging a career-high 29.4 PPG while shooting 48.4% from the floor and 38.4% from beyond the arc. Mitchell’s stellar individual play on the offensive end has kept Cleveland in rhythm. And this rhythm looks like 8-2 in their last ten games, which bodes well for the Cavs’ chances of securing a higher seed in the East. The second through fifth seeds are currently only separated by 1 game, so the composition of the top of the Eastern Conference is liable to shift dramatically on any given night at the moment.
Suns vs. Cavaliers pick, best bet
Best bet: Cleveland Cavaliers Moneyline -175
The Cavaliers, despite missing Mobley, look to be in excellent shape lately. I’m expecting them to comfortably get the win tonight against the Suns, who are on the second night of a back to back set. They’ll need another improbable Dillon Brooks hero night to overcome Cleveland tonight.
