The Houston Rockets welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers to Toyota Center on Wednesday night.
Both sides have been cashing Overs, and my Cavaliers vs. Rockets predictions are betting on a higher-scoring game between two of the best teams in the league. Here are my best NBA picks for this battle on January 22.
Cavaliers vs Rockets prediction
My best bet
Over 229.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be missing star forward Evan Mobley for the third straight game due to a calf injury. Mobley was a first-team All-Defensive selection two years ago, and his absence will be exploited by a Houston Rockets squad that has been surging on offense.
The Rockets are coming off an ugly offensive performance against the Pistons but had scored at least 119 points in their previous seven contests. Over the last eight games, Houston is second in the NBA in offensive rating and 11th in pace, significant upgrades from earlier in the season.
The Cavs have the best record in the league but haven't been quite as dominant on defense as the last few years. They are a modest ninth in defensive rating and are sixth in pace. That has led to them ranking 11th in the league in scoring defense (111.6 ppg), with that number ticking up to 114.3 ppg on the road.
However, the Cavs have become an offensive juggernaut and lead the NBA in effective field goal percentage (58.8%) while ranking second in scoring with 122.0 ppg. Unlike most teams, they don't see much of a drop-off in their offensive play on the road, where they average 121.1 ppg on 58.1 eFG%.
With Cleveland going a sizzling 14-5 O/U on the road this season, bet on that trend to continue tonight.
Cavaliers vs Rockets same-game parlay
Over 229.5
Amen Thompson Over 15.5 points
Jarrett Allen Over 13.5 points
With Houston forward Jabari Smith Jr. sidelined by a broken hand, Amen Thompson has seen his playing time surge over the last couple of weeks. The fourth pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Thompson has logged 40+ minutes in five of his last seven games and scored 17+ points in each of those contests.
With Mobley ruled out, Dean Wade will likely get the job of guarding Thompson, which is a matchup advantage for Houston's fast-rising sophomore forward.
The absence of Mobley also means more minutes and touches in the post for Cavs center Jarrett Allen, who averages 14.0 ppg on 71.1 FG%.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Cavaliers vs Rockets odds
Cavaliers vs Rockets live odds
Cavaliers vs Rockets opening odds
- Spread: Cleveland -2 | Houston +2
- Moneyline: Cleveland -125 | Houston +105
- Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Cavaliers vs Rockets spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Cavs have the best record in the NBA at 36-6 and have gone 29-13 against the spread. Cleveland is 15-4 SU and 14-5 ATS on the road with an average scoring margin of +7.7 ppg.
- The Rockets have the second-best record in the Western Conference at 28-14 with an average margin of +6.0 ppg.
- On Jan. 1, the Rockets were second in the NBA in defensive rating (105.8), but that number has ticked up to 113.5 since.
Cavaliers vs Rockets trend
The Cavs are 15-5 to the Over in their last 20 games, while the Rockets are 6-1-1 O/U in their previous eight contests. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Rockets.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Rockets
| Location | Toyota Center, Houston, Texas |
| Date | Wednesday, 1-22-2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FDSN, SCHN |
Cavaliers vs Rockets latest injuries
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