Cavaliers vs Kings

The Cavs will look to atone for their 127-120 loss to the Kings last month.

[16.5%](https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/team/6/team#tab-context_trans_defense) of offensive possessions which is fifth most. Controlling the paint and transition opportunities. The second units. Kevin Love being out tonight doesn’t help the bench’s chances. Their 37.4% shooting from distance is now good for eighth in the league. They may not be the elite shooting team we saw through the first 15 or so games, but they are better than they’ve shown of late. The defense is atrocious and it isn’t clear how they can take the next step forward with their current nucleus. Darius Garland has had uncharacteristically drastic shooting splits between home and road this season. That’s significant for a franchise that hasn’t had a positive net rating since the Bush administration. Brown’s homecoming will be slightly more muted than the other two, but he does deserve credit for the culture he’s developed in Sacramento. Donovan Mitchell had his homecoming in New York on Sunday. LeBron James had his on Tuesday.

Jim Turvey previews Friday's NBA game between the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers, including a betting prediction.

The content on this page is for informational purposes only. I also like the Cavs -5 if both guards are out because Jarrett Allen is back, and I am the world’s biggest Allen apologist. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. In fact, similar to the Monk bet, I’d be looking at a LeVert points Get up-to-the-minute [NBA odds](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/odds)here. This is a little bit of guesswork, but if pressed, I would guess both Fox and Mitchell will sit out. However, the Kings take far more threes, so they will be hoping the math problem plays out in their favor. As for how the two teams match up, they are at extreme ends of the pace spectrum. The 13-10 Sacramento Kings travel to Cleveland to take on the 16-9 Cavaliers. After averaging 25.9/5.0/6.4 in his first 15 games, those numbers had dropped precipitously to 16.1/4.9/4.0 in the past seven games. Davion Mitchell is the best position-for-position fit, but Malik Monk has been playing great, averaging 14.8 Fox may rest Friday in order heal his right foot.

An intriguing inter-conference duel is scheduled for action on Friday evening. It is time to check out our NBA odds series where our Kings-Cavaliers ...

Without a doubt, the Cavs will need more of a presence from beyond the arc to cover against the Kings, as they only shot 25% from deep on Tuesday. It isn’t often that these two franchises face off on the hardwood, but expect both sides to be trading blows for a majority of the night. Not only is Cleveland cooking up a feast that even Gordon Ramsey would approve of, but the style of play that the Cavs have built their team around is as tasty as it gets. When it comes to figuring out a way to cover the spread versus a dynamic Cavs squad, Sacramento would benefit the most and stick to the script that has gotten them to this point. As for the flashy Cavaliers, Cleveland has battled their way to an impressive 16-9 mark and have been near unbeatable within the confines of their home arena. With a 13-10 record, the Kings have reeled off wins in three of their previous four games after dropping a trio in a row.

Is there more of a feel-good surprise team in the NBA than the Sacramento Kings right now? Sitting at a winning record early in the year behind an electric.

While the Kings are young and exciting with valuable pieces all over, they suffer from very poor post defensive production with only Sabonis being able to cover down low at a league average rate. Should Mitchell not be able to give it a go, the Cavs suffer from a lack of quality depth and will be prone to lulls throughout the game. With Malik Monk and Davion Mitchell running point, they will settle for more half court sets and let Sabonis run the offense through the middle. Without Fox, the Kings lose a major offensive factor with the lack of facilitating. Both teams potentially representing the future of the league, this shapes up to be a fun one. Is there more of a feel-good surprise team in the NBA than the Sacramento Kings right now?