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LeBron James is listed as questionable for Monday’s Lakers game but it’s quite hared to imagine he actually sits out his lone game in Cleveland. Actually, it’s LeBron’s second game in his second hometown this season after the All-Star Game. The NBA odds for Monday will be determined on whether LeBron plays and a few other injuries.

How to Bet Los Angeles at Cleveland NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Monday, 7 PM ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
TV: NBA League Pass
Stream: NBA.com, NBA TV app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: TBA

Season Series

The Lakers won the first meeting 113-101 on Oct. 29. LeBron James scored 26 points, and Carmelo Anthony added 24 while hitting six 3-pointers. James missed nine of his 10 3-point attempts, but had eight assists against his former team. LeBron is now 16-1 all-time vs. Cleveland. Russell Westbrook had 19 points and Anthony Davis added 15 for the Lakers. Rookie Evan Mobley scored 23 points and Darius Garland had 18 points and 11 assists for Cleveland. This will be the 119th all-time meeting between the two teams, with the Lakers holding a 67-51 series advantage.

Why Bet on LA Lakers?

This concludes a four-game trip for the Lakers, who are 1-2 on it following a 127-119 loss at Washington on Saturday. LeBron James had 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. He passed Karl Malone for No. 2 on the all-time scoring list. With 36,947 points, James trails only former Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the career scoring list. Abdul-Jabbar’s record stands at 38,387 points.

There was some uncertainty about whether James would play Saturday night after he logged 45 minutes in an overtime win in Toronto on Friday night. But James tested his knee before the game and was announced in the starting lineup not long before tipoff.

“Just to be part of this league the many years I’ve been a part of it and being linked to some of the greatest who’ve ever played this game and guys I’ve ever watched or studied or read about or aspired to be like … I’m just always lost for words for it,” James said. “It’s an honor for myself, for my hometown, for my family and friends to be able to live these moments throughout this journey. And that’s exactly who I do it for.”

Assuming good health, James should pass Abdul-Jabbar for the grand honor midway through next season to take down the biggest individual career record in the sport. He’s on pace to do so in roughly 150 fewer games. Earlier this season, James passed Abdul-Jabbar in total scoring including playoffs.

If we assume James ends up settling in between his 2021-22 scoring average and the past two seasons, somewhere around 27 PPG, he’d need about 54 more games to catch Abdul-Jabbar’s total. Still playing at an All-NBA level, James has said he wants to continue playing beyond the end of his current contract after next season. He could become the first NBA player to score 40,000 points.

LeBron also is looking to become the NBA’s all-time leader in games with 20+ points. James is just seven games away from passing Malone for the most such games in NBA history. He has climbed the charts thanks to a streak of 32 consecutive 20-point games that started on 12/19 and ended on 3/16. He passed Abdul-Jabbar with a 23-point outing on 3/9 at Houston.

The Lakers remain without All-Star forward Anthony Davis and it’s not clear if he will make it back by the playoffs. Davis has been ramping up his rehab over the past few days and came out for on-court shooting drills before the game against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. Head coach Frank Vogel said the forward’s foot responded well to the increase in intensity.

“He’s just done on-court shooting and he’s responded well to it. He’ll be on the court again tonight pregame, but that’s the extent of what we’re giving out,” Vogel said.

L.A. has the most difficult schedule over the last weeks of the regular season, playing eight of the remaining 12 games on the road.

Why Bet on Cleveland?

The Cavs won their second straight game on Saturday, 113-109 over Detroit. Rookie of the Year favorite Evan Mobley posted a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. Mobley has just become the sixth player in Cavs history to record 20 double-doubles in their rookie season. LeBron James never did that. Mobley is averaging 20.0 points and 10.6 rebounds in his last 8 outings. Mobley has recorded a blocked shot in 12 of his last 13 games, including 9 straight since March 4. His 52 games with at least one block are the 2nd-most in the NBA this season, behind only Jaren Jackson Jr.

All-Star Darius Garland went off for 24 points with 12 assists in 41 minutes to give him his seventh straight game with at least 20 points. Over the past nine, Garland is averaging 25.3 points and 11.7 assists. He ranks 6th in the NBA in assists overall (8.5 APG) and is 5th in point-assist double-doubles (23). Garland is on pace to join Magic Johnson as the only players in NBA history to average 20.0+ PPG, 8.0+ APG, .460+ FG% and .900+ FT%. The Cavs rank 9th in the NBA in assists per game (25.2 APG) and 3rd in the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Love ranks among NBA leaders off the bench in double-doubles (1st, 10), RPG (2nd, 7.2), 3FGM (4th, 143), FT% (6th, .847) and PPG (7th, 13.4 PPG).

Former Laker Rajon Rondo, a backup point guard, will not play in this one as he’s dealing with a right ankle sprain. Brandon Goodwin has been getting most of Rondo’s minutes. Goodwin is on a two-way deal and cannot play in the playoffs so that’s where Rondo’s availability becomes imperative for Cleveland.

All-Star center Jarrett Allen remains sidelined with a fractured finger and won’t play Monday. There are reports that Allen could return before the end of the regular season. He elected not to have surgery on it. The five-year veteran made his first All-Star appearance this season and is averaging career highs in points (16.1) and rebounds (10.8) to go with 1.3 blocks.

Game Trends

Lakers are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
Lakers are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Lakers are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Cavaliers are 18-45-2 ATS in their last 65 games following a ATS loss.
Cavaliers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Cavaliers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
Lakers are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.