Game Time: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 11th, 2021 

Venue:  Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio 

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass/ ESPN+

DraftKings:  Spread:  NL

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  Cavs -6.5: O/U 216.5

 

Kings: 11-14, 10th place Western Conference

Cavaliers: 14-12, 6th place Eastern Conference

The Kings had a brief run of relevance 15-20 years ago… since then they have been terrible.  They also have been terrible at being terrible… They probably lead the league in most draft picks between 4-9 over the last two decades?  They are never the worst team in the league enough to get the first pick, and they are never smart enough to Trade Back over multiple years until they have rebuilt the roster from mid-draft pick plus future lottery picks.  Plus The Kings spent 4 drafts in a row drafting a player that didn’t work out (2012 Thomas Robinson, 2013 Ben McLemore, 2014 Nick Stauskas, 2015 Willie Cauley Stein ( Willie worked for others). Add it all up and they are terrible at being terrible and bad at being mediocre.  They are on a similar path this season.  This is the team that drafted PG Isaiah Thomas in 2011 with the absolute last pick in the draft and let him walk after he became the best scorer off the bench in the league!!.. Over a small restricted free agent offer… Isaiah would go on to become the best player in Phoenix and then the best player in Boston… he could have stayed a King for less of a raise then they paid his flop of a replacement.  

The Kings are on a three contest win-streak, and still 3 games below .500.  Unfortunately the teams they beat were the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers and again the Los Angeles Clippers.  Their conference contains the Los Angeles Lakers, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Denver Nuggets, the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Utah Jazz, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, Karl-Anthony Towns… You tell me who the Kings can beat… Outside of the Wolves I’d say nobody.

The Cavaliers were the Kings (I.E. like the Sacramento Kings) of the Eastern Conference in every year they didn’t have LeBron James… They have to face the Hawks, the Nets, the Wizards… etc until they find themselves at the bottom of the league and the conference.  Recently they did something better than the Sacramento Kings… They drafted well., and traded well.  They are now a top team in the East.  The Cavs' recent strong play is the result of drafting Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Colin Sexton,... and trading for Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen.  They have a whole new lineup just like the best teams do when they are down and out.

The Cavs lost their last two games against the Bulls and the Bucks.  It doesn’t mean the Cavs are bad like in the past… It means the Bucks and the Bulls (on Wednesday) are good.  The Cavs can handle any opponent right now… the past week hasn’t been good, but the season is great so far.

Jim Feist has isolated one game in the NBA Western Conference tonight where one team holds the edge and key to cover this matchup. Join a Vegas betting veteran with nearly five decades of winning experience and WIN with JIM tonight on his NBA Western Conference Game of the Week. Get Jim Feist’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

The Kings are 11-14 on the season, but 12-13 ATS.  They have logged 11 Overs, 13 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are an average 6-6 in road games.

The Cavs are 14-12 on the season, but 19-7 ATS ( they are a great betting team).  They have notched 10 Overs and 16 Unders.  They are below average at 6-7 in home games.  Cleveland is not a lucky city, or exciting city, or fun city, or a city you can get a bed bug free night’s sleep in.

The Kings are 6th in PTS scored with 111.1 per game, 16th in rebounds with 45 per game, 18th in AST/TO ratio with 1.6.  They are shooting 17th in FG%, 25th in 3PT%, 21st in FT%... If they could shoot even a little bit better they would win games. 

The Cavs are 23rd in PTS with 105 per game, 15th in rebounds with 45 per game, 22nd in AST/TO ratio with 1.5..  They are a winning team because of their shooting where they are 15th in FG%, 14th in 3PT%, and 10th in FT%.  Also the Cavs defense has grown up.  They are 2nd in the league in defending points by only allowing 102 per game.

Our prediction for Saturday, December 11th is….  Cavs 118 - Kings 104

The Cavs can’t be stopped… by the Kings.  They have better front court AND backcourt play.

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Sac is 1-0 ATS versus Cleveland at Cleveland over the last 3 seasons.

Sacramento is 14-9 ATS versus Cleveland at Cleveland since 1996.

Kings: PF Richaun Holmes (eye) Quest

Cavs: PG Colin Sexton (Knee) Out for season.

Kings: F Terence Davis, F Harrison Barnes, C Richaun Holmes, G Tyrese Haliburton, G De’Aaron Fox

Cavs: F Evan Mobley, F Lauri Markkanen, C Jarrett Allen, G Darius Garland, G Isaac Okoro

Kings

Points: De’Aaron Fox

Assists: Tyrese Haliburton 5.7

Rebounds: Richaun Holmes 9.3

Steals: Tyrese Haliburton 1.8

Blocks: Alex Len 1.0

Cavs

Points: Darius Garland 19.5

Assists: Darius Garland 7.2

Rebounds: Jarrett Allen 11.3

Steals: Darius Garland 1.2

Blocks: Evan Mobley 2.0

Sac: Alvin Gentry.  Coach Gentry took over for the fired Luke Walton.  It’s all fun and games in Sacramento.  Coach Gentry is a very experienced coach in NBA basketball… Luke wasn’t.. Neither of them will be getting a roster worth a few wins.

Cavs: J.B. Bickerstaff.  Coach Bickerstaff has the Cavs playing much better than an average Cavs team… He will do great things in this job… given that the Cavs can only get better than they have been.  Hopefully coach gets a better franchise to coach soon.