Two teams jockeying for playoff position in their respective conferences meet tonight, as the Cleveland Cavaliers (47-28) head to Crypto.com Arena to take on the Los Angeles Lakers (49-26) at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The Lakers are 2.5-point favorites on the spread on PrizePicks Team Picks for the second and final meeting this season between these two teams. Los Angeles aims to even the season series after losing the first game 129-99 in Cleveland back in January.
Below, we’ll break down our Cavaliers vs. Lakers prediction and Tuesday NBA picks for PrizePicks. Use PrizePicks NBA to make picks on player projections and win real money if you’re right.
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Cavaliers vs. Lakers Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
Cleveland is one hot stretch away from hawking down the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed in the East. The Cavs sit just one game behind the Knicks and have the 28th-toughest remaining strength of schedule.
They are also peaking at the right time health-wise, welcoming back sharpshooting SF Max Strus and foundational C Jarrett Allen in their last two games. Cleveland has won seven of its last 10 and could be one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They've won nine of their last 10 and have propelled themselves all the way up to the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference.
That seed is a coveted spot, because whoever gets it could draw the dysfunctional Houston Rockets in round one. Additionally, whoever gets the No. 3 spot can duck the Oklahoma City Thunder for a while.
It’s imperative that the Lakers keep winning to hold off the Denver Nuggets, who are just 1.5 games behind them in the standings. A prediction of "Yes" for Los Angeles to hoist this year’s Larry O’Brien Trophy returns a 14.28x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Cavaliers vs. Lakers Spread, Over/Under
The Lakers enter Tuesday’s game as 2.5-point home favorites, returning a 1.69x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Cavaliers are road underdogs with a 2.04x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your predictions in 35 states!
- Spread: Los Angeles Lakers -2.5 (1.92x payout)
- Over/Under: 236.5 (1.85x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Cavaliers 2.04x | Lakers 1.69x
Team Picks payouts are live as of writing and are subject to change.
Cavaliers vs. Lakers Injury Report
Let's take a look at the Cavaliers vs. Lakers injury report for Tuesday, via NBA.com.
Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report
- SG Sam Merrill (hamstring): OUT
- PG Jaylon Tyson (toe): OUT
- PF Dean Wade (ankle): OUT
Los Angeles Lakers Injury Report
- F LeBron James (foot): Questionable
- G Marcus Smart (ankle): OUT
Cavaliers vs. Lakers Prediction on Spread – 3/31/26
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Cavaliers vs. Lakers prediction on the spread for Tuesday, March 31, on PrizePicks.
- The Lakers are 42-33-0 (56%) against the spread (ATS), ranking seventh in the NBA in cover percentage.
- L.A. is also 17-8-0 (68%) ATS as a home favorite, the second-best home cover clip in the league.
- Cleveland is 30-45-0 (40%) ATS, the worst cover record in the NBA.
- For the season, the Lakers are second in effective field goal percentage (57.2%) and true shooting percentage (60.9%).
- Over their last 10 games, the Lakers' net rating (+7.4) is 2.2 points higher than the Cavs' (+5.2).
Cavaliers vs. Lakers Picks for PrizePicks Today: 3/31/26
Here are two of the top Cavaliers vs. Lakers to consider for Tuesday, March 31, on PrizePicks. Today’s NBA picks for PrizePicks are headlined by SG Donovan Mitchell and PG Luka Doncic.
Cavaliers SG Donovan Mitchell vs. Lakers Projection: 35.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- Mitchell produces 38.2 points, rebounds, and assists (PRA) per game this season.
- The Lakers have the 10th-worst defensive rating (115.5) and allow opponents to shoot 48.3% from the field. That's tied with the Washington Wizards for the fifth-highest FG% ceded. L.A. also yields the ninth-most assists each night at 27.6.
- D-Mitch may primarily be guarded by Doncic and SG Austin Reaves, who both rate as below-average defenders with ratings of 115.2 and 111.9, respectively.
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Lakers PG Luka Doncic vs. Cavaliers Projection: 48.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- In March, Doncic is averaging 37.2-8.2-7.1 for an unreal 52.3 PRA. He's gone over this projection in eight of his last 12 games.
- Cleveland allows opponents to shoot 37% from behind the arc, the fourth-highest mark. Luka puts up a career-high 10.9 attempts from deep each night.
- This is a tempo-up game for Doncic and the Lakers, who rank 22nd in the league in pace, compared to the Cavaliers (13th).
- While the Lakers are on a back-to-back, Doncic is not, as he served a suspension last game for recording his 16th technical foul. This could lead to him having fresher legs than his teammates and an increased offensive workload.
Make Cavaliers vs. Lakers Picks on PrizePicks
We’ve got a fun one tonight in Los Angeles, with playoff seeding implications all over the place. Cavaliers vs. Lakers picks aren’t the only way hoops fans can get in on the daily NBA action.
You can make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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