The Portland Trail Blazers (10-7) will look to turn their fortunes around tonight after poor defense cost them a game against the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week. The Cleveland Cavaliers (11-6), meanwhile, are coming in on a high note after soundly defeating the Atlanta Hawks in their last game.
The Trail Blazers' three-game losing skid has highlighted some of their weaknesses as a team. If they're to upset the Cavs in front of their home crowd, they'll need to iron out their defense promptly. Especially with the explosive offense the Cavs displayed in their game against the Hawks.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Match Details
Fixture: Trail Blazers @ Cavaliers
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 23, 07:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report
It's already not looking great for the Trail Blazers tonight as three players have been ruled out of tonight's game. Point guard Damian Lillard is out due to a calf injury, shooting guard Gary Payton II has abdominal issues, and shooting guard Keon Johnson is dealing with hip complications.
On the Cavaliers' end, power forward Dean Wade is questionable for tonight due to a knee injury. Point guard Ricky Rubio finds himself in the same boat as Wade, and shooting guard Dylan Winkler is out due to ankle problems. Shooting guard Caris LaVert's status for tonight is questionable due to ankle issues.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Odds & Spreads
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Starting 5s
Trail Blazers - PG: Anfernee Simons, SG: Shaedon Sharpe, SF: Josh Hart, PF: Jerami Grant, C: Jusuf Nurkic
Cavaliers - PG: Darius Garland, SG: Donovan Mitchell, SF: Lamar Stevens, PF Evan Mobley, C: Jarrett Allen
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Prediction
The Trail Blazers are having a poor season thus far and have frequently shown severe holes in their defensive game. Damian Lillard's continued absence is only going to further hurt the team. While Anfernee Simons is a respectable point guard in his own right, he's yet to fully fill Lillard's shoes in the role.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, have shown exceptional offense this season. They'll also benefit from Lillard's absence on the defensive front, meaning they've got a chance of securing a fairly lopsided win here provided they can hold on without their injured players tonight. A possible Dean Wade return will only bolster their chances considering the versatility he's shown in the power forward and small forward positions.
Prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers -8 (-107)
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