The Los Angeles Lakers are 1-7 straight up and 4-4 against the spread in their last eight road games against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With LeBron James on their side this time around, the Lakers will look to end their road woes against the Cavaliers.
Lakers vs. Cavaliers 2018 odds: Los Angeles road favorite in LeBron’s return to Cleveland
The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in LeBron James’ first trip back to Cleveland, with the sportsbooks making the road team the clear chalk.
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Los Angeles is a 9-point road favorite in Cleveland at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The Lakers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Cleveland overall.
Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers
When: Wednesday, November 21, 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Betting Line / Total: Los Angeles -9 / 221 Points
Los Angeles Lakers
As was expected with so many new faces in town, the Lakers opened the season with some growing pains going just 2-5 SU and ATS over their first seven games. Since then however, Los Angeles has found a groove with a 7-2 SU and 4-5 ATS record over its last nine games.
LeBron James leads his new team in both points per game with 28.8 and assists per game with 6.9 through the Lakers’ first 16 games. The Lakers are 3-1 SU and ATS in their last four games on the road.
Through their first 12 games as a betting favorite in the LeBron James era, the Lakers are 7-5 SU and 4-8 ATS per the OddsShark NBA Database.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland reportedly didn’t come into the 2018/19 season looking to tank, but 15 games in, that is clearly the new path for this team. The Cavaliers are just 2-13 SU and 7-8 ATS through their first 15 games.
Franchise player Kevin Love is out indefinitely with a toe injury and veteran guard J.R. Smith has demanded a trade in lieu of the team’s current direction and his decreased playing time. Cleveland is 1-5 SU and ATS in its last six games as a home underdog.
Wednesday night’s total is set at 221 points. The UNDER is 7-1 in Cleveland’s last eight games.
When LeBron James returned to Cleveland for the first time as a member of the Miami Heat, he did so as a villain that the home crowd hated. This time around, after vanquishing the Golden State Warriors to bring a championship to the city in his last stay in Cleveland, James should receive a much warmer welcome. LeBron’s old teammates would love to spoil his return, but the current trajectory of these two teams will make that a very tall task.
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