2024 NBA picks, March 16 best bets from proven model
The Cleveland Cavaliers (42-24) and the Houston Rockets (31-35) collide in a cross-conference battle on Saturday. The Cavaliers are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Rockets are in the 11th spot in the West, trailing the 10th seed by 3.5 games. Ty Jerome (ankle), Evan Mobley (ankle) and Max Strus (knee) are out for Cleveland, while Dean Wade (knee) is questionable. Steven Adams (knee), Tari Eason (tibia), Alperen Sengun (ankle) and Cam Whitmore (knee) are out for Houston.
Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET at Toyota Center in Houston. Cleveland is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Cavaliers vs. Rockets odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 214. Before making any Rockets vs. Cavaliers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 21 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 70-46 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning nearly $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Rockets vs. Cavs. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Cavs vs. Rockets:
Cavaliers vs. Rockets spread: Cleveland -4.5
Cavaliers vs. Rockets over/under: 214 points
Cavaliers vs. Rockets money line: Cleveland -193, Houston +161
CLE: 18-14 ATS on road this season
HOU: 22-10-1 ATS at home this season
Cavaliers vs. Rockets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Guard Donovan Mitchell is one of the most explosive scorers in the league. He’s fifth in the NBA in scoring (27.7) with 5.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists. On Feb. 27 against the Dallas Mavericks, Mitchell had 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Center Jarrett Allen is a commanding force in the paint. Allen uses his size to his advantage as a rebounder and screener. The Texas product is eighth in the NBA in rebounds (10.7) and seventh in field-goal percentage (62.6) with 16.2 points per game.
Guard Caris LeVert gives the Cavs a crafty ball handler and scorer. LeVert can navigate the defense with ease and has a good feel as a passer. The 29-year-old logs 13.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and five assists per game. On Mar. 11 versus the Suns, LeVert had 17 points, six boards and 11 assists. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Rockets can cover
Guard Jalen Green is a natural scorer who has a knack for scoring from all three levels on the floor. The 22-year-old logs 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest. He’s scored 25-plus points in two of his last four games. In his last contest, Green had 37 points and eight rebounds.
Guard Fred VanVleet joined Houston this offseason and is a very active presence on both ends of the floor. The 30-year-old is a reliable perimeter asset and has the ability to thread the needle as a passer. VanVleet is eighth in the NBA in assists (8) with 16.9 points per game. In Thursday’s win over the Wizards, VanVleet dropped 27 points, nine assists and two steals. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Cavaliers vs. Rockets picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 211 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.