Cleveland vs Phoenix Prediction: the Suns to Improve

Cleveland could not defeat Phoenix at home for almost four years, although they have only played two games at Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse in that time. Will the Cavaliers end their losing streak with the Suns?

Cleveland is just two wins away from leading the East and is now a sure contender for the top 6 of their conference. The Cavaliers had a bad 2022, but in 2023 they had two wins. One of them was historic for the club and the entire league. It has been a long time since a player in the NBA scored 70+ points, and Donovan Mitchell, without Darius Garland, reached that mark. Cleveland, due to Mitchell's crazy performance, defeated Chicago in overtime, 145-134. Evan Mobley did not participate in that game, and his appearance in the game against Phoenix is questionable.

Phoenix has already dropped out of the Western top 6 with six losses in the last seven games. It certainly won't get any easier going forward. Devin Booker won't be back anytime soon, and Cam Johnson is still injured, but there are still glimmers of hope. Cameron Payne and Landry Shumet, who could make up for Booker's absence in some games, have been sidelined until recently. True, Payne and Shamet didn't save the Suns from losing to New York, 83-102. Chris Paul and DeAndre Ayton were the highest-scoring players on the team, scoring 11 and 12 points. With those stats, it's hard to hope for a win. Phoenix failed in the first half and never recovered after halftime.

Cleveland showed a bright game against Chicago, beating the Bulls twice, but it's too early to say that the crisis is over. The last opponent of the Cavaliers did not defend well, while Phoenix could sit on the score. Payne and Shamet are back; they need time to get in shape. We expect both players to improve.

As far as the outcome is concerned, the odds are generally unambiguous. Seeing Mobley is more likely than Garland, and the big young man could strengthen the Cavaliers' defense. The Suns are still good in their half, and even in their poor performance against New York, that was evident.

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