1st Quarter Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, the Cavaliers look much better today on their home court. A win is still up for grabs for either team after one quarter, but the Cavaliers are up 34-31 over the Wizards. This game is far closer than the pair’s previous matchup, which was decided by 23 points.
If the Cavaliers keep playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 19-15 in no time. On the other hand, the Wizards will have to make due with a 6-27 record unless they turn things around.
Who’s Playing
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Current Records: Washington 6-26, Cleveland 18-15
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
- TV: Bally Sports – Ohio
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $11.50
What to Know
The Wizards have enjoyed a four-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
The oddsmakers set the bar high, but the Wizards and the Hawks didn’t disappoint and broke past the 252 point over/under on Sunday. Washington took a 130-126 hit to the loss column at the hands of Atlanta. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Wizards in their matchups with the Hawks: they’ve now lost six in a row.
Kyle Kuzma put forth a good effort for the losing side as he scored 38 points along with eight rebounds and five assists. Those 38 points set a new season-high mark for him.
The Wizards struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only six offensive rebounds. They are 1-7 when they can’t control their own glass like that.
Meanwhile, it was a hard-fought match, but Cleveland had to settle for a 124-121 loss against Toronto on Monday. The close contest was extra heartbreaking for the Cavaliers, who almost overcame a 19 point deficit.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Caris LeVert, who scored 31 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Donovan Mitchell, who scored 26 points along with seven assists and seven rebounds.
Washington’s defeat dropped their record down to 6-26. As for Cleveland, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 18-15.
The Wizards must know they’re fighting an uphill battle given the 9.5-point spread they’re up against. This contest will be their 25th straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 12-12 against the spread).
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Wizards haven’t given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 13.4 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Cavaliers struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging only 13.3 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Odds
Cleveland is a big 9.5-point favorite against Washington, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Cavaliers as a 9-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 239.5 points.
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Series History
Cleveland and Washington both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- Mar 17, 2023 – Cleveland 117 vs. Washington 94
- Feb 06, 2023 – Cleveland 114 vs. Washington 91
- Oct 23, 2022 – Cleveland 117 vs. Washington 107
- Feb 26, 2022 – Cleveland 92 vs. Washington 86
- Dec 30, 2021 – Washington 110 vs. Cleveland 93
- Dec 03, 2021 – Cleveland 116 vs. Washington 101
- Nov 10, 2021 – Washington 97 vs. Cleveland 94
- May 14, 2021 – Washington 120 vs. Cleveland 105
- Apr 30, 2021 – Washington 122 vs. Cleveland 93
- Apr 25, 2021 – Washington 119 vs. Cleveland 110
