- The NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night
- The Cavaliers are 12-1 at home this season while the Nuggets are just 5-4 on the road
- See the Nuggets vs Cavaliers predictions, player props, and odds for Dec. 5
An intriguing interconference matchup kicks off Thursday night’s NBA slate as Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets (11-8, 5-4 away, ATS) travel to Ohio to face Donovan Mitchell and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers (19-3, 12-1 home, ATS) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 7:10 pm ET.
Nuggets vs Cavaliers Prediction
- Cavaliers moneyline (-175) at ESPN Bet –
- Donovan Mitchell under 26.5 points (-125) at DraftKings Odds as of 12:45 pm ET, Dec. 5. Claim the ESPN Bet promo code to wager on Thursday’s NBA games and read SBD’s list of the fastest payout sportsbooks.
The Nuggets have been shockingly inconsistent all season, and especially in the last two weeks. Denver hasn’t won back-to-back games since Nov. 8th and 10th, and has alternated wins and losses over its last eight contests. They needed a miraculous nine-point comeback in the final six minutes against Golden State last time out to emerge with a 119-115 win at home.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was all-world in the victory, dropping 38 points and 10 rebounds to go along with six assists and five steals.
The Cavaliers’ play has dipped a bit since their stunning 15-0 start, going just 4-3 in their last seven. But that includes a 115-111 win at home over the reigning-champion Boston Celtics on Sunday, spearheaded by a game-high 35 points from Donovan Mitchell (24.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.1 APG).
Mitchell had just 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting last time out against the Wizards on Tuesday, a lopsided 118-87 Cavaliers victory, and his scoring average of 24.3 PPG is more than two points below his point total for the night.
DEN vs CLE Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three-Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic (DEN) | 28.5 (Ov -110 | Un -120) | 11.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 8.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 1.5 (Ov -135 | Un +105) |
| Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | 26.5 (Ov -105 | Un -125) | 4.5 (Ov -105 | Un -125) | 4.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 3.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) |
| Darius Garland (CLE) | 19.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | 2.5 (Ov +110 | Un -142) | 6.5 (Ov -142 | Un +110) | 2.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 18.5 (Ov -110 | Un -120) | 3.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 5.5 (Ov -135 | Un +105) | 2.5 (Ov +135 | Un -175) |
| Evan Mobley (CLE) | 16.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 9.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 2.5 (Ov -148 | Un +125) | OFF |
| Michael Porter Jr (DEN) | 16.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 5.5 (Ov -142 | Un +110) | OFF | 2.5 (Ov +110 | Un -142) |
| Jarrett Allen (CLE) | 13.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 10.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | OFF | OFF |
| Aaron Gordon (DEN) | 12.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 5.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 3.5 (Ov +110 | Un -142) | OFF |
| Christian Braun (DEN) | 12.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | 4.5 (Ov +110 | Un -142) | OFF | OFF |
| Caris LeVert (CLE) | 10.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 3.5 (Ov +126 | Un -162) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov +130| Un -168) |
| Russell Westbrook (DEN) | 9.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 3.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 4.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | OFF |
NBA player props from DraftKings on Dec. 5.
Coming off a massive 38-point, 10-rebound, six-assist, five-steal game in the comeback victory against the Warriors, Jokic leads both the point totals (28.5 O/U), rebound totals (11.5 O/U), and assist totals (8.5 O/U) on Thursday night.
Mitchell has the highest point total for the Cavs at 26.5 while Jarrett Allen is the only other player with double-digit rebound total at 10.5.
Best Nuggets vs Cavaliers Odds
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | +4.5 (-110) at ESPN Bet | +158 at Caesars | O 233.5 (-110) at FanDuel |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -4.5 (-106) at FanDuel | -175 at ESPN Bet | U 234.5 (-110) at BetMGM |
The Nuggets/Cavaliers point spread is sitting at 4.5 across the board. The best price on the Cavaliers to cover is currently -106 at FanDuel while a handful of books have Nuggets +4.5 at -110, including ESPN Bet and bet365.
ESPN Bet also has the best moneyline option for the Cavaliers, listing Cleveland -175 to win straight-up. Caesars has the longest odds on a Nuggets victory at +158.
There is a one-point range in the game total at the moment. Most books, including BetMGM, have the total at 234.5 with -110 odds both ways, but FanDuel has it a point lower at 233.5 with -110 odds on each side.
The NBA public betting splits for Thursday heavily lean to the Cavs. Cleveland is getting 72% of moneyline handle and 68% of ATS handle as of 1:10 pm ET. The public was also favoring the over, putting 61% of game-total money on the over so far.
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The Denver Nuggets will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 5th in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. Both teams have had their ups and downs so far this season, but they will be looking to come out on top in this game.
The Nuggets are currently sitting at 11-11 on the season, while the Cavaliers are 9-12. Despite their similar records, the Nuggets are considered the favorites in this game. They have a strong roster led by star center Nikola Jokic, who is averaging a triple-double this season with 25.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game.
On the other side, the Cavaliers will be looking to their young core of players to step up and make an impact in this game. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland have been playing well for Cleveland, averaging 24.3 and 18.6 points per game respectively.
When it comes to player props, there are a few options to consider for this game. For the Nuggets, look for Jokic to have a big night and potentially record another triple-double. Jamal Murray is also a player to watch, as he has been playing well recently and could put up some big numbers.
For the Cavaliers, keep an eye on Sexton and Garland to lead the way offensively. Both players have shown that they can score in bunches and will be key for Cleveland’s success in this game.
As for the odds, the Nuggets are currently favored by -6.5 points in this matchup. The over/under is set at 218.5 points, indicating that it could be a high-scoring affair.
Overall, this game has the potential to be a close and competitive matchup between two evenly matched teams. It will be interesting to see which players step up and make an impact, and ultimately which team comes out on top. Be sure to tune in on December 5th to see all the action unfold.