Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Prediction and betting tips

The Houston Rockets (13-10) will face the Cleveland Cavaliers (14-12) on Monday, December 18. Houston will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, having lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, December 17. Cleveland's last game was 127-119 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, December 16.

The Rockets have been a surprising team this season. Ime Udoka has them playing a sturdy brand of defense, with lots of switching on the perimeter and physicality around the rim. Cleveland will need to dive deep into their playbook if they want to stretch the Rockets' defensive system and create consistent scoring avenues.

Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game details

Game Details

Teams: Houston Rockets (13-10) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-12)

Date and Time: Dec. 16, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio

Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without Darius Garland, Ty Jerome and Evan Mobley for their game against the Houston Rockets. Missing two core members of your starting lineup is a huge blow, especially when facing a young and hungry team like the Houston Rockets.

Houston, on the other hand, could be without Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Victor Oladipo, who all missed Sunday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Udoka will have his full-strength starting five available, along with the majority of his usual bench rotation.

Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Projected starting lineups

The Houston Rockets starting lineup could look like this: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun.

Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun will both be big factors in how the Rockets approach their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both are known for their two-way performances and have been impressive throughout the season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup could look like this: Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, and Jarrett Allen.

The Cavaliers are missing two members of their starting lineup, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. As such, a lot of the offensive load will fall on the shoulders of Donovan Mitchell.

Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Betting tips

Donovan Mitchell has scored over 30.5 points in three of his last 10 games. However, he is -115 to make it four out of 11 and +110 on the under, heading into the contest against the Houston Rockets.

Mitchell has also made more than 3.5 threes in three of his last 10 outings. He's -115 to score more than 3.5 perimeter shots on Monday, with the under being set at -110.

Jarrett Allen has secured more than 10.5 rebounds in three of his last 10 games. He's -111 on the under and -115 on the over.

Mitchell has dished out more than 5.5 assists in five of his last 10 outings. He's -140 on the over against Houston and -156 on the under.

Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Prediction

Despite their injury struggles, the Cleveland Cavaliers still enter their contest against the Houston Rockets as slight favorites. They're -5 on the spread (-106) and -200 on the money line. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen will both have big roles to play on offense as they try to break down Houston's sturdy half-court defensive system.

Nevertheless, Houston likes to play fast. They get into early offensive actions, they run defenders into multiple screens, and they also have reliable isolation scorers. Cleveland has the talent necessary to win, but it won't be an easy game for either team. Nevertheless, Cleveland has the rest advantage and the most talented player in the game in Mitchell. That should be enough for them to secure the win.