Don’t expect an up-tempo game when the Portland Trail Blazers (19-21, 9-7 Home) play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-16, 8-12 Away) on Thursday. Cleveland was narrowly beaten by the Utah Jazz 116-114 at Vivint Arena on Tuesday. With 46 points and six assists, Donovan Mitchell was the standout player in the losing effort. The Cavaliers are 2.5 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference, currently sitting in fourth.
Portland dropped their fourth in a row in a close one on Tuesday at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, falling to the Orlando Magic 109-106. Damian Lillard had 30 points in the loss, carrying the team. The Trail Blazers are 10th in the Western Conference.
The teams are meeting for the final time this season. Cleveland will be aiming for a season sweep against Portland after winning the only prior matchup 114-96 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in November 2022, their third straight head-to-head victory. Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 34 points. Jusuf Nurkic had 22 points in the losing effort. Mitchell is averaging 29.3 points per game, sixth-highest in the league, to lead the Cavs in scoring this season.
Meanwhile, Darius Garland is dishing 7.8 assists per game, seventh-most in the league, and Jarrett Allen is grabbing 9.8 rebounds per game. Lillard’s 27.4 points per game have powered the Blazers on offense. He ranks as the 10th-highest scorer in the NBA. Lillard also has doled out 7.1 assists per game, 10th-most in the league.
Nurkic has pulled down 10.1 rebounds per game.Half-court execution will be critical in this matchup that showcases two of the NBA’s slowest-paced teams, as the Cavaliers and the Trail Blazers rank 30th and 26th, respectively, in possessions per game.The Cavaliers are only 2-8 in their last 10 games at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter.
In the last 10 games, Cleveland is 5-5 with an average margin of -0.7 (113.6-114.3). For the season, the Cavaliers are averaging 111.5 points per game, compared to 106.8 for opponents. Portland has gone 2-8 over the last 10, allowing 112.8 points per game on average while scoring only 111.3 (-1.5 margin).
CAVALIERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Donovan Mitchell: 52.0 | 38.1 | +13.9
Points per game:
Donovan Mitchell: 39.8 | 29.3 | +10.5
Jarrett Allen: 9.8 | 13.2 | -3.4
Assists per game:
Donovan Mitchell: 7.0 | 4.8 | +2.2
TRAIL BLAZERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Trendon Watford: 1.0 | 10.5 | -9.5
Assists per game:
Josh Hart: 5.4 | 4.2 | +1.2
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Cleveland Cavaliers (-120)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
