Who’s playing
Cleveland Cavaliers @ New Orleans Pelicans
Current records: Cleveland 41-24, New Orleans 39-25
How to watch
- When: Wednesday March 13, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Or: Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, Louisiana
- TV: Bally Sports – New Orleans
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $10.78
What there is to know
The Cavaliers had a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their jerseys on the road. They will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at the Smoothie King Center. The Cavaliers are expected to lose this one by seven points, so we’ll see if that gives them some motivation.
Last Monday, Cleveland was within reach but could not reduce the gap as it lost 117-111 to the Suns. The Cavaliers led by 19 in the second but still couldn’t close the deal.
Despite their defeat, the Cavaliers saw several players rise to the challenge and make remarkable plays. Darius Garland, who went 7 of 10 from beyond the arc en route to 30 points and 5 assists, was perhaps the best of them all. Georges Niang’s dreadful 0-6 three-pointer was less helpful for the Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans had already won three in a row (a stretch in which they outscored their opponents by an average of 25.3 points), and they took the lead and made it four on Sunday. They came away with a 116-103 victory over Atlanta. Winning is a little easier when your three-point shooting is 14.9 percent higher than the opposition’s, like the Pelicans’ was.
Among those leading the charge was Zion Williamson, who scored 27 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. He continues to roll, beating his previous point total in each of the last three games he has played. The team also received help from Trey Murphy III, who scored 28 points and seven rebounds.
Cleveland hasn’t been performing well recently as the team has lost three of its last four games, which took a major dent in its 41-24 record this season. As for New Orleans, it improved its record to 39-25 with the victory, which was its third in a row on the road.
In this competition, the number of possessions will likely be a big factor: the Cavaliers haven’t given up the ball easily this season, averaging just 12.6 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Pelicans struggled in that department as they averaged just 12.7 turnovers per game. Given these competing forces, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
While only the Pelicans took care of their fans in their last game, both teams pleased the bettors by covering the spread. Looking ahead, the Pelicans are the favorites as experts expect them to win by seven points. They might be worth a quick bet since they’re sitting on a five-game covering streak when they expect to win.
Odds
New Orleans is a solid 7-point favorite against Cleveland, according to the latest NBA Odds.
Oddsmakers had a good idea of the line for this one, as the game opened with the Pelicans as 6.5-point favorites.
The over/under is 215.5 points.
See NBA Pick for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
New Orleans has won 7 of its last 10 games against Cleveland.
- December 21, 2023 – New Orleans 123 vs. Cleveland 104
- February 10, 2023 – Cleveland 118 vs. New Orleans 107
- January 16, 2023 – Cleveland 113 vs. New Orleans 103
- January 31, 2022 – Cleveland 93 vs. New Orleans 90
- December 28, 2021 – New Orleans 108 vs. Cleveland 104
- April 11, 2021 – New Orleans 116 vs. Cleveland 109
- March 12, 2021 – New Orleans 116 vs. Cleveland 82
- February 28, 2020 – New Orleans 116 vs. Cleveland 104
- January 28, 2020 – New Orleans 125 vs. Cleveland 111
- January 9, 2019 – New Orleans 140 vs. Cleveland 124
