Expert prediction
OKC Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview, Odds, Prediction (Jan 8)
- Nikola Velickovic
- Jan 6, 2025 at 6:07 AM EST
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- Thunder vs. Cavaliers is the clash between the No.1 seeds in the West and the East.
- OKC has the No.1 defense in the NBA.
- Cleveland Cavaliers have the second-best offense in the league.
This is the game between the two leading teams in their respective conferences and arguably the top contenders for the NBA title this season. For the moment, the Cavs have a better record, but if they lose here, OKC will tie with them.
Check out: Bulls vs. Pacers Preview, Odds, Prediction (Jan 8)
Check out: Spurs vs. Bucks Preview, Odds, Prediction (Jan 8)
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday, January 8, 7 pm ET
- Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
- How To Watch: ESPN
NBA Regular Season Odds
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| OKC Thunder | +120 | +3.5 | 227.5 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -140 | -3.5 | 227.5 |
Game Preview
OKC Thunder is coming to Ohio pumped up following a big win over the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics. They won 105-92, displaying once again their harsh defense. Right now, OKC allows 103.3 points, the lowest in the league.
Yet, on the other side, they have the third-best scorer in the NBA and the MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scores 31.2 points each night. The Canadian also plays one hell of a defense as well.
Darius Garland no-look three and kiss of death ❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/cMTYYmAaO8
— Dylan🔮🪼🎆 (@dillybar2145__) January 6, 2025
The Cavs score 122.7 points each night, the second-best productivity in the NBA. This team has six players who average double-digit points and five more who record between 6 and 10 buckets.
Donovan Mitchell leads the unit with 23.4 points per game, while Darius Garland scores 20.4. Evan Mobley is in contention for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he is one of the best two-way power forwards in basketball.
Thunder vs. Cavaliers Head to Head
The two sides didn’t meet this season.
Thunder vs. Cavaliers Prediction
Which style of play will prevail? High-scoring imposed by the Cavaliers or low-pace and physical prefered by OKC. To be honest, we don’t know that, but our money here is on the Cavs because they don’t have health issues, unlike the Thunder. OKC has several players who aren’t 100% fit, and that might be a key factor for this event. Mitchell, Caruson, Ducas, and Holmgren, who have been there for a long time, aren’t fully fit.
- Free NBA pick: Cavaliers win
NBA
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