Two Eastern Conference contenders square off Friday night as the 23-19 Cavaliers visit the 22-17 76ers in a key Atlantic Division matchup. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET from the Wells Fargo Center, live on ESPN.
Cleveland dominated the last meeting on Wednesday, but with G Darius Garland sidelined by injury, the Cavs were short-handed, leaving PG Donovan Mitchell to shoulder even more of the offensive burden against a 76ers team trying to climb the Eastern Conference leader board
Below, we’ll break down our Cavaliers vs. 76ers prediction, ppread, and total for January 16. Make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals.
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Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The Cavaliers made a remarkable turnaround from uncertainty to Eastern Conference contenders since the arrival of Mitchell, riding a two-game winning streak that includes a dominant 133-107 victory over these same 76ers just two days ago.
Cleveland sits seventh in the East, while Philadelphia finds itself in fifth place, separated by just one game.
Friday marks the third regular-season meeting between these squads, with the Cavaliers holding a commanding 2-0 series lead. Cleveland has won five of their last six matchups against Philadelphia, underscoring a recent edge in the series.
The 76ers are 1.5-point favorites, with an over/under of 239.5.
Cavaliers vs. 76ers Over/Under, Spread
The Cavaliers enter Friday’s game as 1.5-point road underdogs, returning a 2.04x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The 76ers are home favorites with a 1.72x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
- Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -1.5
- Over/Under: 239.5
- Game Winner Payout: Cavaliers 2.04x | 76ers 1.72x
Cavaliers vs. 76ers Injury Report
Let’s dive into the full Cavaliers vs. 76ers injury report for Friday, via NBA.com.
Cavaliers Injury Report
- G Darius Garland (toe) – OUT
- G Sam Merrill (hand) – OUT
- SF Max Strus (foot) – OUT
- F Dean Wade (knee) - OUT
76ers Injury Report
- C Joel Embiid (knee) – Probable
- F Paul George (knee) – Probable
- Dominick Barlow (back) - Questionable
- Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) - Available
Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction on Spread
Here are some stats to know to help you make your Cavaliers vs. 76ers prediction on Friday, January 16.
- The Cavaliers struggle against the spread, posting a 15-27-0 ATS record (35.7%), the worst mark in the NBA. The issues exten to road games, where they cover just 38.9% of the time (7-11-0 ATS).
- Cleveland is 4-3 ATS as a road underdog this season and 4-4 ATS when getting at least 1.5 points, a modest profile compared to its overall struggles.
- Philadelphia has been one of the league’s stronger ATS teams, posting a 23-15-1 record (60.5%). The 76ers have excelled as favorites, posting a 14-10-0 ATS mark (58.3%).
- Despite that success, the 76ers show a clear home/road split, covering 73.7% of games on the road (14-5 ATS) but just 45.0% at home (9-11 ATS).
- Recent form tilts toward Philadelphia, which has covered six of its last 10. Cleveland is 4-6 ATS over that stretch but is 2-0 straight up and ATS against the 76ers this season.
Cavaliers vs. 76ers Picks for PrizePicks Today: Friday, January 16
Cavaliers PG Donovan Mitchell vs. 76ers Projection: 29.5 Points
- Through 36 games, Mitchell averages 29.8 points on 49.2% shooting and 38.7% from beyond the arc.
- Spida's shredded the 76ers for 32.0 points per game (PPG) over his last five meetings, including a 35-point, 9-assist outing on Wednesday and a 46-point domination earlier this season.
- Philadelphia’s perimeter defense has been vulnerable, surrendering 23.1 PPG on 45.9% from the field to opposing point guards.
- Mitchell logs 33.8 minutes as Cleveland’s primary scoring option (20.9 FGA and 10.1 3PA) without Garland in the lineup, Mitchell averages 26.1 PPG, 4.9 assists, and 4.7 rebounds.
76ers PG Tyrese Maxey vs. Cavaliers Projection: 36.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- Maxey averages 41.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists this season (30.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.6 APG).
- Over his last 10 games, Maxey has posted 39.5 combined Pts/Reb/Asts (PRA) on 20.3 field goal attempts per game.
- Cleveland’s defense ranks 19th in opponent assists per game (27.3) and 16th in defensive rating (116.9), vulnerabilities that Maxey exploited for 22.6 PPG and 6.8 APG in his last five meetings with the Cavaliers.
- With a 235.5 total and 1.5-point spread indicating a competitive, high-scoring affair, Maxey’s 38.2 minutes per game over his last 10 contests ensure Maxey will be involved in the 76ers' attempt to claim their first win against the Cavaliers on Friday night.
Make Cavaliers vs. 76ers Picks on PrizePicks
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