The NBA’s best team, the San Antonio Spurs, will close out their pre-All-Star Game slate tonight with a battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This evening’s meeting between the Spurs and Cavaliers is scheduled to get underway at 7:00pm ET at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. NBA Odds have the Spurs listed as a -5.5 against the spread favorite and the Over/Under set at 207.5 points. The Cavaliers are drawing +195 moneyline odds ($100 wins $195) to win their 17th game of the season.
The red hot Spurs ran their record to 41-12 on Monday night with a 103-89 win over the Chicago Bulls. San Antonio, playing as a two point road dog and without Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili, shot 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc, helping it overcome a 26 to 49 deficit on the glass.
The Spurs defense also aided the winning cause as it forced 19 turnovers and limited Chicago to 2-of-12 from three-point range.
Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, and Gary Neal filled the offensive void left by the absence of the big three. Leonard scored a team high 26 points while Green, Splitter, and Neal notched 18, 16, and 16 points respectively.
With Duncan and Parker listed as probable for tonight’s contest, the Spurs, who have won 13 of their last 14 games, are expected to cruise to another victory. That may or may not have as much to do with the Cavaliers, who are, no doubt, anxious for a respite.
Cleveland has struggled to a 16-36 record and it comes into this evening’s game having dropped two straight at home. The Cavs opened their current five game home stand with wins over Oklahoma City, Charlotte, and Orlando, but the Nuggets ended that run on Saturday with a 111-103 victory. Minnesota picked up the scraps on Monday, knocking off Cleveland 100-92.
Free Pick: Take the Spurs -5.5. San Antonio, which has won five straight against the Cavs (average margin of victory = 18 points), is 5-0 straight up and 4-0-1 against the spread over the last two seasons playing as a road favorite coming off a road dog win (Over was 5-0 in those games).
San Antonio Spurs vs Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Odds:
San Antonio Spurs -5.5 (-110), Over 207.5 (-110), -225 (Moneyline)
Cleveland Cavaliers +5.5 (-110), Under 207.5 (-110), +195 (Moneyline)
NBA Free Picks: San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers
What NBA bettors need to know about San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday (2/13/13) - a best bet from Pregame.com's Bryan Leonard, with host Steve Fezzik.