1st quarter report
After a tough road loss in their last game, the Cavaliers look much better today on their home court. They have built a quick 29-24 lead against the Pelicans.
If the Cavaliers keep playing like this, they will increase their record to 16-1 in no time. On the other hand, the Pelicans will have to settle for a 4-12 record unless things turn around.
Who is playing
New Orleans Pelicans @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Current records: New Orleans 4-11, Cleveland 15-1
How to watch
- When: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 7:30 pm ET
- Where: Rocket Mortgage Cottage – Cleveland, Ohio
- TV: FanDuel SN – Ohio
- Continue: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try it for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $21.18
What to know
The Cavaliers will play the full four quarters on Wednesday, but are expected to have everything figured out well before then. They and the New Orleans Pelicans will meet at 7:30 pm ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse without much rest after finishing yesterday’s games. The momentum surely favors the Cavaliers, as the team has eight consecutive wins at home, while the Pelicans have suffered six consecutive losses on the road.
The Cavaliers will likely come into the game with a grudge considering the Celtics just ended the team’s 15-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of Boston by a score of 120-117. The close contest was even more heartbreaking for Cleveland, which nearly overcame a 21-point deficit.
The defeat does not tell the whole story, since several players played good games. One of the most active was Evan Mobley, who had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. What’s more, he also accumulated six offensive rebounds, the most he has had since November 2023. Donovan Mitchell was another key player, scoring 35 points in addition to eight rebounds.
Although they lost, the Cavaliers worked as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. That good performance was nothing new for the team: they have already recorded at least 25 assists in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, bettors predicted a tough matchup for the Pelicans on Tuesday and they were right. It will take some time for them to recover from the 132-91 blow the Mavericks dealt on Tuesday. New Orleans trailed 97-69 at the end of the third quarter, and things only got worse from there.
After losing for the first time this season, Cleveland fell to 15-1. As for New Orleans, their loss dropped their record to 4-11.
This contest is shaping up to be a blowout: the Cavaliers have been incredibly accurate this season, having made 52.2% of their field goals per game (they rank first in overall field goal percentage). It’s a different story for the Pelicans, however, as they have only earned 43.6% of their earnings this season. Given the Cavaliers’ considerable advantage in that area, the Pelicans will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Cavaliers scored a solid victory over the Pelicans when the teams last played two weeks ago, winning 131-122. Do the Cavaliers have another win up their sleeve or will the Pelicans turn it around? We will have the answer very soon.
Odd
Cleveland is a heavy 13.5-point favorite against New Orleans, according to the latest report. NBA Odds.
Bettors were in line with the betting community on this one, as the game started with a 13.5-point margin and stayed there.
The over/under is 223 points.
See NBA selections for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Cleveland and New Orleans have five wins in their last 10 games.
- November 6, 2024 – Cleveland 131 vs. New Orleans 122
- March 13, 2024: Cleveland 116 vs. New Orleans 95
- 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