On Monday night, a clash unfolds between two youthful NBA squads as the Houston Rockets face the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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On Monday night, a clash unfolds between two youthful NBA squads as the Houston Rockets (13-9, 15-5-2 ATS) extend their Eastern Conference road journey to face the Cleveland Cavaliers (14-12, 11-13-2 ATS).
In their recent matchup, Houston secured a 103-96 victory against Memphis, successfully covering the spread as 2.5-point favorites on the road. Meanwhile, Cleveland comes into this game following a home triumph over the Hawks with a score of 127-119, covering as 4.5-point favorites. Notably, this marks the inaugural meeting of the season between these two teams. The game is set to tip off at 7:00 PM EST at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
For the Cavaliers, Garland (broken jawbone), Jerome (ankle injury), Mobley (knee injury), and Rubio (personal reasons) will not be playing the game. As for the Rockets, Oladipo (knee injury) and Thompson (illness) will be sitting this one out.
Heading into their Sunday showdown against Milwaukee, the Rockets had clinched victory in five consecutive games, a streak that notably included their first triumphs on the road this season. Houston managed to break a challenging streak of eight consecutive road losses by securing wins in both Denver and Memphis during their recent impressive run.
Engaging in consecutive matchups against Memphis, the Rockets emerged victorious in both games, successfully covering the spread each time. Currently occupying the 7th seed in the Western Conference standings, Houston’s latest triumph was spearheaded by Dillon Brooks, who contributed 26 points to the team’s success.
Throughout the season, the Rockets have consistently fielded an unchanged starting lineup, prominently featuring their youthful center, Alperen Sengun. Leading the team in both scoring and rebounding, Sengun boasts impressive averages of 19.7 points per game (PPG) and 9.0 rebounds per game (RPG), complemented by an additional 5.2 assists per game (APG).
Presently holding the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves grappling with a mounting injury toll. Evan Mobley is set to undergo knee surgery, sidelining him for an estimated 6-8 weeks, and point guard Darius Garland is facing a multiple-week absence due to a fractured jaw.
Cleveland aims to navigate the challenges and remain in playoff contention until the return of their two key players. In their recent matchup, the team received a standout performance from big man Jarrett Allen, who contributed 25 points and 14 rebounds in the victory over Atlanta.
Cleveland maintains its offensive firepower with a healthy Donovan Mitchell, the team’s top scorer. Mitchell is currently averaging 27.3 points per game (PPG), along with 5.8 rebounds per game (RPG) and 5.5 assists per game (APG). Notably, he has consistently scored 22 points or more in his last six games, achieving a season-high of 35 points in a victory against Orlando.
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