The Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1) and Brooklyn Nets (0-1) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The game will broadcast live on YES.
The Cavaliers are 11.5-point favorites over the Nets on the spread (Cavaliers -11.5), with the over/under set at 230.5 total points. Cleveland is a -750 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Brooklyn is +525 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Cavaliers vs. Nets predictions and NBA picks for Friday, October 24.
My Cavaliers vs Nets Prediction
- Cavaliers vs Nets pick: Cavaliers -11.5 (-110)
My Cavaliers vs Nets best bet is on Cleveland to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at bet365. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Cavaliers vs Nets Odds
| Cavaliers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -110 | 230.5 -110o / -110u | -750 |
| Nets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -110 | 230.5 -110o / -110u | +525 |
Cavaliers vs Nets NBA Preview
The Cavs lost their season opener to the Knicks, an opponent they could be facing in this year's Conference Finals if things go right for both teams.
Cleveland was not overly concerned with this defeat, considering they are still missing Darius Garland and Max Strus due to offseason surgeries, and De'Andre Hunter was out with a knee contusion.
After finishing atop the Eastern Conference during the regular season with 64 wins, the Cavs kept their core, despite losing Ty Jerome to free agency.
They also added Larry Nance Jr. and traded for Lonzo Ball to round out a strong, balanced roster that should battle again for the best record and, hopefully, a deeper playoff run.
So tonight is a bounce-back spot for them, even playing on the road, against the Nets.
Brooklyn is still in rebuild mode, probably even more so now that they only have Cam Johnson as their star.
They traded for Michael Porter Jr., Haywood Highsmith and Terance Mann, but that will hardly be enough to fight for a playoff spot as the team will feature several rookies and will look to the future.
The Nets have lost nine of their past 10 matchups against Cleveland, including all four encounters last season.
The Cavs are still listing Hunter as questionable for tonight, but expect them to get their first win in comfortable fashion against the Nets, as our Bet Labs system recommends.
Cavaliers vs Nets Prediction, Betting Analysis
The system titled "Early Road Trips" focuses on NBA teams playing the first few games of a new season or playoff run while beginning a short road stretch.
Teams in this phase often show high energy and cohesion as they are still fresh and motivated, with rotations intact and player conditioning near its peak.
When traveling early in the schedule, fatigue has not yet set in, and teams frequently bring a strong defensive focus and competitive effort to establish early momentum.
Markets tend to overrate home court advantage in these situations, assuming travel will hinder performance, yet disciplined teams often respond with intensity and structure on the road.
This combination of early-season sharpness and undervalued travel dynamics creates favorable conditions for covering spreads in the opening segment of the schedule.
Pick: Cavaliers -11.5 (-110, bet365)
Nets vs Cavaliers Betting Trends
