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The Cavs figure to be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference by the time the playoffs roll around because of the presence of LeBron James, but they have started slowly. This would be a fantastic road win to help turn around their fortunes, but it won’t be easy against a Houston team clicking on all cylinders.
Cleveland will need to keep pace with the Rockets’ breakneck pace, and teams this season have not been able to do so. This game could be missing some star power, with Paul, Tristan Thompson and Isaiah Thomas out for sure, while Kevin Love is expected to play but is dealing with an illness.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Toyota Center at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 2, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT.
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Odds Analysis
The Cavs have LeBron, so they can never be counted out, but the Rockets look like the more well-rounded team. Houston additionally has the home court advantage, which should be enough to make it the favorite in this matchup.
The scoring total could be extremely high as these teams will be happy to move the ball up and down the court.
Slow Start
The Cavaliers dropped to 4-6 on Sunday after falling 117-115 to the Atlanta Hawks. Coming into the matchup with Cleveland, the Hawks were 1-8 and had lost eight in a row.
Now the Cavs find themselves in unfamiliar territory -- near the bottom of an Eastern Conference they’ve won three straight titles in. They’ll need to show up much more prepared against the Rockets to have a chance at the win.
The biggest problem is on defense. The Cavs are allowing 113.4 points per game, which ranks 28th in the league, and just aren’t showing up on the defensive side of the ball. Cleveland has a lot of big names but it has not all jelled together quite yet.
Matchup To Watch
LeBron James vs James Harden. Two of the league’s best will be on display Thursday night in Houston. Harden will be at home which gives him an advantage but James is the kind of player who always rises to the occasion on a big stage.
Despite the Cavs early struggles, James is still playing like a superstar, averaging 28.8 points and 9.1 assists right now. In Cleveland’s 130-122 win over the Wizards on November 3rd, James had 57 points and 11 rebounds.
Harden has also picked up where he left off this season, averaging 29.9 points per game and 9.7 assists. He had back-to-back double-doubles in wins against the Hawks and the Jazz this past weekend and also finished with 56 points in the game against Utah on Sunday.
Free NBA ATS Picks
James can put his team on his back at times and carry it, but the Rockets are just too deep. Houston should be able to shoot well against a suspect Cleveland defense. Watch for LeBron to have a big game, but Harden will be right there with him.
Houston’s supporting cast is better at this point, and James can’t do it all by himself. Take the Rockets to win this game rather easily behind the better firepower on offense. Check to see where the scoring total sits because there will be plenty of points.
NBA Odds: Rockets 126, Cavaliers 114
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