Cavaliers vs Nets

Keep doing what you're doing! On Friday night, the Brooklyn Nets had a showcase showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center.

And to do that, you have to keep the turnovers to a minimum. The Cavs are middle of the pack in efficiency and like the Nets, in the bottom tier in terms of attempts. When you have scorers like Durant and Irving, you want to make the most out of every possession imaginable. Cavaliers](https://www.sny.tv/articles/nets-injury-tracker-2022-23-season)- Danny Abriano, Alex Smith, Phillip Martinez & Ben Krimmel - SNY [Kevin Durant is having another MVP-type season for the Nets](https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/35318632/kevin-durant-having-another-mvp-type-season-nets)- Kirk Goldsberry - ESPN+ [Five years later, the only loser in the blockbuster trade between the Cavs and the Celtics is Kyrie Irving](https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2022/12/five-years-later-the-only-loser-in-the-blockbuster-trade-between-the-cavs-and-the-celtics-is-kyrie-irving.html)- Jerry Watkins - Cleveland Plain-Dealer Irving has been excellent in the second halves of games and is top ten in scoring after the break. In their final home game of 2022, the Nets gave the home fans a treat and [beat ](https://www.netsdaily.com/2022/12/23/23524775/nets-win-eighth-straight-with-118-100-victory-over-bucks)the Bucks. [Utah Jazz](https://www.slcdunk.com), it gave them their best player since LeBron James and someone who might propel them to a deep playoff run. When a great player is available to be acquired, you do everything you can to bring them on to your squad. [Atlanta Hawks](https://www.peachtreehoops.com) and [Charlotte Hornets](https://www.atthehive.com) before coming back home for game against the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.poundingtherock.com). If the Nets can stay close in the rebounding department, it will go a long way in helping them extend the winning streak. Over at the mothership, Mark Schindler wrote about the second year big and [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.netsdaily.com) had a showcase showdown against the [Milwaukee Bucks](https://www.brewhoop.com) at Barclays Center.

Find Cavaliers vs. Nets predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the December 26 NBA matchup.

NBA odds, picks, and predictions for the Brooklyn Nets at Cleveland Cavaliers on December 26. NBA betting best bet and free pick analysis.

The Nets are currently 15-18 O/U and 4-6 as the underdog. At 15-19 O/U, their impressive defense has held many teams in check and helped bolster their Under record for the season. Similarly, Brooklyn will throw several looks at Mitchell and Darius Garland in hopes of slowing them down. I'd favor the surging Nets in this one. Take the Under. Expect Mitchell to get his points; the question is, can Cleveland as a whole slow down Durant and Irving? Tonight will be an intriguing battle that will depend on how well the Nets can effectively score against this top-ranked Cavaliers defense. Simmons and his combination of size and length could pose a threat, but Mitchell is on the list of NBA players who one single player can't contain. I expect a combination of Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons to get an early and frequent dose of Mitchell. Expect the ball to be in Donovan Mitchell's hands early and often in this one. Donovan Mitchell has been remarkable against the Nets, to put it lightly, throughout his career. Winning nine of their last 10, they'll look to make a big statement against an Eastern Conference rival.

The Brooklyn Nets will be missing one of their key players for Monday night's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"We all look for matchups in the regular season that means something," Durant told reporters in Cleveland. The Nets are riding a season-best eight-game winning streak into Monday's game. There is no further update at the time of this writing on Brooklyn's shooting guard. The longest-tenured Net reported the knee soreness shortly after he arrived at the arena. It is unclear how long Harris will be out with the knee soreness. Harris was a late lineup scratch in Friday's impressive victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center.

The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Brooklyn Nets on national television tonight. What are the betting odds, the starting lineups and a prediction?

On paper, the Cavs are the better team, with the league’s best defense and a deeper roster than the Nets. Mitchell and Darius Garland should be able to feast when Seth Curry or Patty Mills enter the game, but the Nets are deep on perimeter options with O’Neale, Yuta Watanabe and Joe Harris, although Harris is not expected to play tonight. The inability of Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton to shoot could be the key, as the Cavs won’t be afraid to leave them and strangle out the paint. The Cavaliers have been one of the NBA’s best teams this month, but the Nets are a formidable and hot opponent. The Nets and Cavs are both playing very well recently, with Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant both submitting their MVP cases with bigtime performances in nearly every game. Their opponent is the Brooklyn Nets, who are streaking through December on an eight-game winning streak.