Prediction

In recent seasons, the New Orleans Pelicans, under the leadership of head coach Willie Green, have consistently been positioned around the play-in tournament zone in the Western Conference. Zion Williamson’s health has been a major concern, and Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum have not fully lived up to superstar expectations. This season, the Pelicans traded for tough player DeJounte Murray, but Murray got injured in the opening game and is expected to be out for a while. Zion, McCollum, and others like Herb Jones have also been hit with injuries. On Tuesday, the Pelicans played the Mavericks, and now facing the Cavaliers on a back-to-back, they face a tough challenge.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in recent seasons, have seen significant improvement on the defensive end. Despite a long stretch last season where they were missing key players, they still made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals, performing impressively. This season, the Cavaliers made a coaching change, bringing in Kenny Atkinson. The team didn’t make targeted roster upgrades, but their balance on both offense and defense is solid. On Tuesday, the Cavaliers played a tough matchup against the Celtics, and now they face another back-to-back at home, which will be a test.

Both teams are playing back-to-back games, so their physical exhaustion should be relatively similar. However, the Cavaliers have a deeper roster and, with the Pelicans dealing with injuries and missing key players, the Cavaliers are expected to secure a big win.

Pick: Cavaliers -13.5