Cavaliers vs. Blazers NBA expert prediction and odds for Wednesday, Nov. 15

The Blazers return home after a three game road trip to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are on the last game of its four game west coast swing.

While Portland is at the onset of its rebuild, its only one game behind the Cavs record wise; the Blazers enter Wednesday’s contest 3-7 while Cleveland is 4-6. However, with star power on its side, the Cavs are 10.5-point favorites.

Here’s everything you need to know for this matchup, including betting odds, injuries to monitor and our best bet! Also, you should know that if you sign up for Caesars Sportsbook using the link below, you will have your first bet matched up to $1,000! All you have to do is sign up below!

Cavaliers vs. Blazers odds, spread and total

Cavaliers vs. Blazers how to watch

• Date: Wednesday, Nov. 15
• Game Time: 10:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Moda Center
• How to Watch (TV): ROOT Sports Northwest
• Cleveland Cavaliers Record: 4-6
• Portland Trail Blazers Record: 3-7

Cavaliers vs. Blazers injury reports

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Darius Garland – OUT
• Ty Jerome – OUT
• Isaac Okoro – OUT

Portland Trail Blazers

• Shaedon Sharpe – Probable
• Malcom Brogdon – OUT
• Robert Williams III – OUT
• Scoot Henderson – OUT
• Anferenee Simons – OUT

Cavaliers vs. Blazers key players to watch

Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell: With no Garland on the floor, more pressure is going to fall on Mitchell, who is off to a worse-than-expected start this season. His numbers are still gaudy, averaging nearly 29 points per game with nearly five rebounds and more than five assists, but he is shooting slightly worse from the field and beyond the arc. He’ll go up against the Blazers defense that has been far better than its offense, 11th in points allowed per 100 possessions.

Portland Trail Blazers

Shaedon Sharpe: Sharpe is probable for this one, and with the Blazers devoid of backcourt options, I expect another big outing from the second-year pro. Since the youth movement began with the trade of Damian Lillard, Sharpe has taken full advantage of it, averaging nearly 20 points per game with more than five assists to go with decent shooting splits 42/35/80 in his first look at extended reps.

Cavaliers vs. Blazers prediction and pick

This is simply too many points for the Cavs to lay on the tail-end of a West Coast road trip. What was the best defense in the league last season has slipped all the way to 17th in points allowed per 100 possessions through its first 10 games. While some of that can be attributed to the injuries to the likes of Garland and Jarrett Allen that have kept them out of the lineup, that’s not going to be fixed in one game.

The Blazers have been the better defensive team this season, but its real issue is its lack of consistent offense. Portland is last in the league in effective field goal percentage this season, but the Cavaliers are not far ahead, 23rd in that metric.

I struggle to see the Cavs getting margin in this game to close out a West Coast swing with a double-digit win. Cleveland is 3-7 against the spread this season and 1-4 as a favorite. This is the first time that the team will be laying double digits this season and I don’t have confidence the team can get it done.

I’ll count on Portland’s surprisingly stout defense to hold up against the short-handed Cavs and keep this one competitive.