Los Angeles Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 06/04/2024, 00:22  by Kennedy Kechula in NBA Predictions

The LA Lakers are back at home and will be up against the Cleveland Cavaliers in their next NBA fixture. They come to this match sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference while the Cavaliers are third in the East. LA have been in excellent form in recent weeks and arrive for this game having won eight of their last nine matches. Darvin Ham’s men, who have won their last three games, are coming off a grueling six-game road trip out in the East. They concluded the trip with a 125-120 victory over the Wizards. This improved their record to 44-33. LA are now tied with the eighth-placed Kings and are now just 1.5 games from the automatic playoff places. With five matches left before the playoffs, they will target finishing among the top six. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been listed as ‘Questionable’ for this game while Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt are out. The Lakers have averaged 123 points over their last three matches.

The Cavaliers have been the opposite of the Lakers in recent weeks. J.B. Bickerstaff’s men have struggled with inconsistency and have managed just three wins in their last nine games. They are coming off a 122-101 defeat to the Suns in the third game of a five-match road trip to the West. Their struggles have kept them from climbing to second in the East with the Bucks, the current holders of the position, struggling. If their struggles persist, getting second place will be the least of their problems. The Cavaliers are just one game clear of the two teams directly below them. They have five more games to navigate in the regular season and avoiding slipping from the top three will be their utmost concern. Ty Jerome, Isaac Okoro, Craig Porter Jr and Dean Wade all missed the trip to Phoenix. They are likely to be absent here as well. Donovan Mitchell did however return against the Suns and led the team in scoring once again. The Cavs have averaged 110.3 points in their last three outings.