Cavaliers vs. Clippers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, March 18

The Clippers have the best against the spread record at home in the NBA this season.

The Clippers have the best against the spread record at home in the NBA this season. / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 16-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday at the hands of the Orlando Magic, and things won’t get much easier on the road on Tuesday.

The Cavs are taking on the Los Angeles Clippers, who have the best record against the spread at home in the NBA this season.

Los Angeles welcomed Norman Powell back into the lineup in a win over Charlotte on Sunday, and it’s hoping that it can make a push to get out of the play-in tournament field in the Western Conference.

The Cavs, on the other hand, have all but locked up the No. 1 seed in the East entering the final stretch of the regular season. 

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to bet on in the prop market and my prediction for Tuesday night’s contest. 

Cavaliers vs. Clippers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Cavs -5 (-112)
• Clippers +5 (-108)

Moneyline

• Cavs: -192
• Clippers: +160

Total

• 231.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Cavaliers vs. Clippers How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, March 18
• Time: 10:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Intuit Dome
• How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local), NBA League Pass 
• Cavs record: 56-11
• Clippers record: 38-30

Cavaliers vs. Clippers Injury Reports

Cavs Injury Report

• Emoni Bates – out
• Evan Mobley – questionable
• Luke Travers – out
• Nae’Qwan Tomlin – out

Clippers Injury Report

• Patrick Baldwin Jr. – out
• Cam Christie – out
• Trentyn Flowers – out
• Seth Lundy – out
• Jordan Miller – out

Cavaliers vs. Clippers Best NBA Prop Bets

Cleveland Cavaliers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Evan Mobley OVER 26.5 Points and Rebounds (-125)

Mobley missed his last game with a foot injury, but if he returns tonight, he’s a steal at this number against the Clippers.

The one-time All-Star is averaging 18.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season, and he’s cleared 26.5 points and rebounds in eight of his last 10 games, averaging 19.1 points and 9.9 boards per game over that stretch.

The Clippers are one of the better defenses in the league, but Mobley has taken a huge step on the offensive end this season, shooting 36.9 percent from 3 on 3.0 attempts per game while averaging 2.4 more points per game than any other season in his career. 

Los Angeles Clippers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Norman Powell OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-180)

Earlier today, I shared my favorite prop for this game in NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points: 

After a lengthy absence due to knee and hamstring issues, Norman Powell returned in the Clippers’ blowout win over the Hornets on Sunday and finished with seven points on 3-of-13 shooting (1-for-4 from 3).

It wasn’t a good game for Powell, but the usage was there even though he played less than 23 minutes in the game. That’s a great sign for him in a tough test at home against the Cavs. 

Powell is shooting 42.2 percent from 3 this season, averaging over 3 made shots from deep per game on just under eight attempts. He had at least two made 3-pointers in 17 of his final 18 games before the All-Star break.

Like the Porzingis prop, we have to lay some juice, but Powell should easily clear this number on Tuesday night. 

Cavaliers vs. Clippers Prediction and Pick

I’m going to back the Clippers to cover in this game, as they have the best record against the spread of any home team in the league.

As great as the Cavs have been all season long, they actually aren’t that far ahead of the Clippers in net rating over these teams’ last 10 games. Cleveland has a net rating of +9.6 over that stretch (third in the NBA) while the Clippers are at +7.6 (fifth in the NBA).

With Norman Powell back, the Clippers have a much higher ceiling on the offensive end of the floor. The Clippers also may give the Cavs some issues on the wing with Powell, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden matching up against smaller guards like Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. 

With this spread creeping into two possessions, I’ll buy the Clippers at home on Tuesday. 

Pick: Clippers +5 (-108 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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