Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Wednesday’s Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA matchup.

It is a loaded 14-game slate of NBA action tonight with plenty of intriguing matchups taking place all across the schedule. Tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Washington Wizards will face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers picked up victories in both of the first two matchups between these teams. However, each side made some significant changes at the NBA trade deadline to shift their outlook for this year and moving forward. These two teams will also close down the regular season with each side’s final matchup of the year against each other on April 12th.

Looking at the odds for tonight’s game, the Cavaliers are 16.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Wizards hold +675 odds of pulling off the outright upset, with the game total set at 240.5 points.

This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Wednesday night matchup.

Wizards vs. Cavaliers prediction, preview

The Washington Wizards have slipped to 14-38 on the season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. They have lost 13 of their last 17 games entering this matchup. Washington got active in the trade market, bringing in Trae Young and Anthony Davis in major deals. However, the vision for this is clearly building for the future, and it is yet to be determined if and how much those talents see the floor this season. The Wizards are 22-30 against the spread on the year, and the game total has gone over in 27 of their 52 games played.

Anthony Davis is expected to miss the remainder of the season, while Trae Young will be held out until at least after the All-Star break. Cam Whitmore has been ruled out for the season, while D’Angelo Russell is refusing to report to Washington after being traded there at the deadline. Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Anthony Gill are each listed as questionable, but the expectation seems to be that they will suit up tonight.

Alex Sarr has shown some encouraging strides in his development, posting averages of 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. Kyshawn George adds 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. This year’s sixth-overall pick, Tre Johnson, is producing 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, and Will Riley have each also shown some exciting flashes.

As a team, the Wizards are averaging 112.1 points per game, which ranks 25th in the league in scoring. They rank 28th in offensive rating, 27th in field-goal percentage and 17th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 122.8 points per game, which is the second-worst rate in basketball. They also rank 29th in defensive rating, 21st in field-goal percentage and 21st in opponent three-point percentage.

The Cleveland Cavaliers enter with a 33-21 record and sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. They enter this matchup on a four-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10. Cleveland also made some noise at the trade deadline, bringing in James Harden with the hopes the star can help them get over the postseason hump. On the season, the Cavaliers are just 22-32 against the spread, and the game total has gone under in 29 of their 54 games played.

Evan Mobley remains sidelined for the Cavaliers due to his calf injury, while Max Strus continues to miss time. Dean Wade has also been ruled out for tonight. Donovan Mitchell continues to headline the production, posting averages of 29.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game. Across his first two games with the Cavaliers, James Harden is averaging 22.5 points and 7.5 assists. Tonight will mark his debut in front of the Cleveland fans after his first two games were on the road. Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, and Tyrese Proctor each also play key roles.

The Cavaliers are scoring the third-most points per game at 119.6 per contest. Cleveland ranks sixth in offensive rating, ninth in field goal percentage, 16th in three-point percentage, and fifth in three-point attempts per game. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against the Cavs, which ranks 17th in the league. Cleveland ranks 13th in defensive rating, 10th in opponent field goal percentage, and 27th in opponent three-point percentage.

Wizards vs. Cavaliers pick, best bet

The Cavaliers produced a commanding 148-115 victory against this Wizards team in the first matchup, and edged them out 130-126 in the second game. 16.5 points is a significant spread to cover, and the Wizards are a scrappy, young team. But I am backing the Cavaliers to produce a blowout victory tonight and cover this number.

There will be some growing pains along the way, but the early returns of James Harden incorporating himself into this Cavaliers offense have been strong. They defeated the Kings 132-126 in their first matchup with him on the team and then took down the Nuggets 119-117 in the next game. Harden has scored 22+ points in each of his first two games, while still allowing Donovan Mitchell to be the leading scorer. Their chemistry will only grow with more time played together, and there is sure to be plenty of attention tonight with this being Harden’s home debut.

Washington has a formidable roster and could be more competitive than they have been if the organization truly wants to. But the clear goal of this season is to allow the young players to develop, and for next season to be the launch point of truly looking to win. When Davis and Young take the floor alongside this young core, there is a vision for what this team can be.

But for the time being, Washington is limited in the number of offensive creators and will not be able to score at the pace of this Cavaliers’ team. Expect Cleveland to be ready to put on a show in Harden’s home debut and hold a convincing lead throughout. The Cavs beat this Wizards team by 33 points in the first matchup this year, and there is a new spark of energy surrounding this group team following the trade deadline. Count on Harden and the rest of the team to be prepared to make a statement in his home debut and produce a victory by over the 16.5-point spread.

Best Bet: Cavaliers -16.5 (-108)