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The Cleveland Cavaliers welcome the Brooklyn Nets to town on Monday evening. Cleveland is off to a strong start at 9-8, though the Cavaliers have lost three straight games. Brooklyn is 12-5 overall and 6-2 on the road in 2021-22. Evan Mobley (elbow) and Collin Sexton (knee) are out for Cleveland. Kyrie Irving (personal) remains out for the Nets, with Joe Harris (ankle), Nicolas Claxton (illness) and Bruce Brown (hamstring) also ruled out for Brooklyn.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET in Cleveland. The latest Nets vs. Cavaliers odds from Caesars Sportsbook list Brooklyn as a six-point favorite, while the over-under for total points is set at 208.5. Before locking in any Cavs vs. Nets picks or NBA predictions, be sure to check out what SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $9,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 6 of the 2021-22 NBA season up over $1,200 on all top-rated NBA picks this season. It's also on a stunning 115-76 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread that dates back to last season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has locked in on Nets vs. Cavs and released its picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds, betting lines and trends for Cavs vs. Nets:

  • Nets vs. Cavaliers spread: Nets -6
  • Nets vs. Cavaliers over-under: 208.5 points
  • Nets vs. Cavaliers money line: Nets -250, Cavaliers +205
  • Brooklyn: The Nets are 7-9-1 against the spread in the last 17 games
  • Cleveland: The Cavaliers are 10-5-2 against the spread in the last 17 games

Why the Nets can cover

Brooklyn's defense is keying its early success, with a top-10 overall mark in overall efficiency. Opponents are scoring only 104.5 points per 100 possessions against the Nets this season, but the offense is also a sleeping giant. Brooklyn led the NBA in offensive efficiency last season, and the Nets are No. 1 this season in 3-point shooting at 38.0 percent. The Nets are No. 3 in true shooting percentage (57.8 percent), with top-eight marks in field-goal percentage (46.3 percent), free-throw attempts (20.8 per game) and free- throw percentage (80.8 percent). 

Brooklyn moves the ball well, ranking No. 6 in the NBA in averaging 24.7 assists per game, and the Nets generate an assist on 63.2 percent of field goals. The Cavaliers are also a porous defensive rebound team, which could lead to put-back opportunities for a Nets team that rarely crashes the glass with vigor.

Why the Cavaliers can cover

Cleveland has been solidly efficient in a few offensive categories this season. The Cavaliers are shooting 52.5 percent on 2-point attempts while also generating 23.6 assists per game. Both rank in the top 10 of the NBA this season, and Cleveland is also above-average in offensive rebound rate (27.6 percent) and free-throw creation rate. 

On defense, the Cavaliers should be able to secure the glass, with Brooklyn ranking last in the NBA in offensive rebound rate at 20.4 percent. Cleveland is a top-10 team in shooting efficiency allowed, 3-pointers allowed and free-throw attempts allowed, with the Cavaliers committing the fewest fouls (15.7 per game) in the NBA this season. Cleveland is also creating a turnover on more than 15 percent of defensive possessions, and that havoc could help to fuel efficient offense.

How to make Cavaliers vs. Nets picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 215 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Nets vs. Cavs? And which side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.