Basketball odds on Cleveland almost always favor the Cavaliers and that is the case again on Friday as they host the Atlanta Hawks. The Cavaliers have won 9 of the last 10 against the Hawks in this series but they are only 5-5 against the NBA odds. Here are some facts and figures for this marquee Friday night matchup between the Hawks and Cavs.
Basketball odds should get some added attention for this game since it is televised on ESPN. The Hawks and Cavs have played twice so far this season and both meetings occurred on consecutive days in late December. The Cavaliers won both games, winning at home 106-101 and at Atlanta by a score of 95-84.
The question in basketball odds has not been whether or not the Cavaliers will beat the Hawks but whether or not they will cover the spread. Atlanta has a very talented team that is capable of covering the point spread. The Hawks have a winning record vs. the number at home and on the road. Atlanta is 20-16 on the road this season vs. the NBA odds.
Atlanta does a lot of things very well. They are 9th in the league in points per game and 11th in the league on defense. Joe Johnson leads a very balanced offense. The Hawks have been a team that has been going over the total more than under the total this season. Atlanta still doesn’t get quite enough respect for their offensive prowess.
Cleveland wins almost every game but they don’t always cover the basketball odds. In fact, the Cavaliers have a losing record vs. the number in home games this season. Cleveland has excellent statistics as they are 4th in the league in defense and 8th in the league on offense. LeBron James is having another MVP season and the Cavaliers are getting ready for the playoffs. As the season winds down the Cavaliers may not have much to play for once they clinch the top seed in the league. They pretty much have the top seed in the East clinched but they also want to stay ahead of the Lakers for the overall top seed.
Cleveland has an excellent defense but they don’t always play low scoring games. The Cavaliers are right around the .500 mark this season in terms of over/unders on their home court.