The Cleveland Cavaliers media day has NBA fans asking: when does the NBA season start? The Cavs are a second-tier Easter Conference playoff team looking to take the jump into Finals contention. After a solid 2023-24 campaign, they are running back essentially the same roster. The Cavs are hoping that improvements from their young core and a coaching change will be enough to propel them into the upper echelon of the East. Our 2024-25 betting preview will give our best NBA betting advice on the Cavs odds and win total projection.
2024-25 NBA Betting Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers Win Total Odds
*All Cavs odds are courtesy of FanDuel.com*
Injuries Set Cavs Odds Back
After starting the season with the highest win total projection since the LeBron James era, the Cavs won 48 games and were defeated in the second round by the eventual champion Boston Celtics. The Cavs were projected for 50.5 wins last season following their 51-win 2022-23 season.
For the second time in his career, Donovan Mitchell has recorded 180+ PTS and 20+ 3PM on 50+ FG% over a 5-game span in the postseason.
No other player has done this once. pic.twitter.com/k81egvSBYX
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) May 12, 2024
Managing 48 wins while dealing with significant injury issues was quite a feat for Cleveland. Both sides of the Cavs’ young backcourt missed time last season, yet the Cavs managed to stay afloat. Now, the Cavs need a healthy season from their young core to eclipse this year’s projected win total.
Running it Back
Building on back-to-back solid seasons, the core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are ready for another strong campaign. The Cavs front office decided to run back the 48-win team from last season and revamp the Cavs coaching staff.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has agreed on a three-year, $91 million maximum extension that’ll now guarantee him $131 million over the next five years, his agent Derrick Powell tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/vmOcgrKsmP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 31, 2024
New head coach Kenny Atkinson, known for his player development, plans to use the team’s recent success and focus on improving their offensive efficiency. Atkinson’s leadership and the continued growth of their young core could propel them beyond the regular season’s expectations.
Mitchell’s leadership and offensive abilities remain key for the Cavs. His performance will determine whether the team can surpass their projected win total. Mobley’s development, particularly on the offensive side, is another essential factor. Already an elite defender, Mobley’s ability to contribute more consistently on offense could relieve the pressure off Mitchell and Garland.
Garland will be a key part of the Cavs potential success next season. Garland was dealing with multiple injuries last season and never really was able to find a rhythm. He averaged only 18 points a game and shot 37% from three. The season before, he scored 21.6 points per game and shot 41% from three. A return to form for Garland would go a long way for the Cavs’ chances to go over on their win total.
Darius Garland before his jaw injury 💔 pic.twitter.com/BJ5fleQWKO
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) June 4, 2024
Cavs Odds and Win Total Projections
The Cavs projected win total for this upcoming season is 48.5. This line is slightly below last season’s projection and is right on the 48-win mark the Cavs hit last year. The team has a realistic shot at surpassing this total if they stay healthy and if Mobley, in particular, takes a step forward.
Before they were marred by injuries last season, they had gone over their projected win total for two years in a row. Since LeBron left, the Cavs have gone under their win total three times and over it twice.
