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The most important game on the NBA schedule Friday is Cleveland at Brooklyn because the winner most likely will be the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, which means home-court advantage in the play-in tournament. The Nets will be favored Friday on the NBA odds but by how much depends on the availability of a player or two.

How to Bet Cleveland at Brooklyn NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Barclays Center
TV: NBA League Pass
Stream: NBA.com, NBA TV app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Nets -6.5 (total 228.5)

Season Series

Brooklyn leads 2-1 but the Cavs won the most recent meeting 114-107 at home on Jan. 17. Darius Garland led the way with 22 points and 12 assists. Isaac Okoro added 15 points and Jarrett Allen had 14 and 10 rebounds for the Cavs. Allen is currently out injured. Kevin Durant was out that night for Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 27 points. They still had James Harden then and he had 22 points.

Why Bet on Cleveland?

If the Cavs win this game, they would clinch no worse than the No. 8 seed in the East for the play-in tournament and would earn the No. 7 if the Hawks lose in Miami.

Cleveland had control of the No. 7 seed not long ago but has lost two straight, including a bad 120-115 defeat at terrible Orlando on Tuesday. Moritz Wagner scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter for the Magic, who shot 50.5% from the field after coming into the game ranked 28th in the NBA in shooting (43.2%).

“It was a game that obviously had a lot of implications and we just got out-competed,” said Kevin Love, who had 17 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland. “We definitely need a better effort than we had tonight. We let their record, and who they have out, dictate how we played.”

Darius Garland had 27 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Garland has reached double-digit assists in 13 of his last 17 games and he has scored 20-plus points in 25 of his last 30 contests while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from deep. Garland is averaging 25.1 PPG, 10.4 APG, 3.3 RPG and 1.61 SPG in 38.8 MPG in 18 games since the All-Star break. Garland and Trae Young are the only NBA players over that span to be averaging 25.0+ PTS and 10.0 APG.

There apparently will be major help on the way Friday with the return from injury of Rookie of the Year favorite Evan Mobley. Mobley, who has missed five straight because of a sprained left ankle, did “everything” at Thursday’s practice, wearing the wine-colored starter’s jersey. Following the team session, Mobley spent extra time with Garland and assistant coach JJ Outlaw conducting a shooting- and movement-based workout.

“We’ll see,” Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said before discussing a potential minutes restriction. “We won’t spread him out too long on the first one back. Obviously, with foot stuff, you’re not allowed to do a lot of conditioning right away. But there’s plenty of minutes for him.”

Mobley leads all NBA rookies in double-doubles this season (20), tying him for the 5th-most by a rookie in Cavs history. Mobley is 1 of 3 players in the NBA this season averaging 14.0+ PPG, 8.0+ RPG, 1.5 BPG and .500+ FG%, joining Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis.

The Cavs are 43-37 on the season, improving their win total by 21 wins from last season (22-50). The 21-win improvement is tied for the 2nd-largest win improvement by a Cavs team in franchise history.

Why Bet on Brooklyn?

The Nets staged a huge rally from down 21 points on Wednesday to beat the Knicks 110-98. After watching the Nets come back from 28 down when he was hurt in their last visit to Madison Square Garden, Kevin Durant scored 23 of his 32 points in the second half to fuel this comeback that pulled Brooklyn within a game of Cleveland for seventh place in the East. Durant hasn’t lost a game against the Knicks in nine years. Durant added 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his third triple-double of the season. The three triple-doubles matches KD’s single-season career-high (previously done in 2013-14 and 2012-13 with Oklahoma City).

In the 17 games since he returned from injury, Durant has averaged 31.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 7.2 apg and 1.1 spg in 38.4 mpg on 50/40/90 shooting splits (.524 FG, .407 3FG, .925 FT). Over that span, Brooklyn leads the league in 3FG % (.402), is third in FG % (.501), fifth in ppg (119.6) and offensive rating (119.0), sixth in point differential (+6.0) and net rating (5.9), and 11th in defensive rating (113.1). This season, the Nets are 34-19 with him in the lineup and outscoring teams by 4.3 points per game. The Nets are 17-3 this season when scoring 120+ points and 19-4 when shooting .500+ FG %

Kyrie Irving had 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Irving has now scored at least 24 points in five straight games and is shooting a career-high 42.0 percent from three this season. KD (31.4 ppg) and Irving (31.2 ppg) are the only teammates averaging 30.0+ ppg post-All-Star break. Seth Curry (left ankle sprain) returned from a two-game absence to score 15 points. Curry is probable for Friday’s game against the Cavaliers.

Guard Goran Dragic (health and safety protocols) has been ruled out for Friday’s game. Dragic will remain sidelined for at least one more game, with Patty Mills being the player most likely to absorb the available minutes.

Andre Drummond ranks first in the league in rebound % (.229), third in defensive rebound % (.305), trailing only Rudy Gobert (.313) and Nikola Jokic (.313) and second in offensive rebound % (.153), trailing only Steven Adams (.159).

Game Trends

Cavaliers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog.
Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Nets are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Nets are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Friday games.
Nets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.