Cavaliers vs. Nets prediction, odds, picks: 2022 NBA playoff play-in tournament bets by expert on 27-12 run

The Brooklyn Nets were in danger of finishing in one of the final two spots for the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference after suffering four losses during a six-game stretch from March 23-April 2. But they ended the regular season with a flourish, winning their final four contests to secure the No. 7 spot. The Nets (44-38) now look to earn the seventh seed in the East when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38) in a 2022 NBA play-in tournament game on Tuesday, April 11. The winner will meet second-seeded Boston in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs, while the loser will take on either Atlanta or Charlotte for the No. 8 seed.

Tipoff at Barclays Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Brooklyn is an 8.5-point favorite in the latest Nets vs. Cavaliers odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 228.5. Before making any Cavaliers vs. Nets picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s NBA expert Mike Barner.

Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there’s anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it’s him.

He also has a keen eye for the Nets. In his last 39 NBA picks involving Brooklyn, Barner is an outstanding 27-12, returning $1,380 to $100 players. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Barner has set his sights on Nets vs. Cavs, and just locked in his picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Barner’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Cavs vs. Nets:

• Nets vs. Cavaliers spread: Brooklyn -8.5 
• Nets vs. Cavaliers over-under: 228.5 points 
• Nets vs. Cavaliers money line: Brooklyn -440, Cleveland +340
• BKN: The Nets are 3-23 against the spread in their last 26 games as home favorites 
• CLE: The Cavaliers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road contests

Why the Nets can cover

Brooklyn finished with a  3-1 record against Cleveland during the regular season after posting a 118-107 home victory on Friday. Kevin Durant went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc and finished with a game-high 36 points as all five starters scored in double figures. The 33-year-old Durant has recorded at least 20 points in 12 of his last 13 contests.

Kyrie Irving scored 18 points against his former team while Bruce Brown (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Andre Drummond (15, 12) each registered a double-double. Brooklyn had six players reach double digits in points in its 134-126 home triumph over Indiana on Sunday. Irving led the way with 35 while Durant posted his fourth triple-double of the season and second in three games with 20 points, 10 boards and 16 assists.

Why the Cavaliers can cover

Cleveland lost three straight games and eight of 10 before ending the campaign with a 133-115 home victory against Milwaukee, which rested Giannis Antetokounmpo and several other regulars. Kevin Love came off the bench to record a double-double as he went 8-for-11 from beyond the arc en route to 32 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen scored 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting while rookie Evan Mobley registered 18 points and 10 boards for his 20th double-double of the season.

Darius Garland leads the Cavaliers with averages of 21.7 points and 8.6 assists. The 22-year-old point guard recorded 31 points against the Nets on Friday and was Cleveland’s leading scorer in all four meetings with Brooklyn this season. Markkanen has been hot from 3-point range of late, going 16-for-31 over his last four games after making only seven of his 28 attempts over his previous five contests.

How to make Nets vs. Cavaliers picks

For Nets vs. Cavaliers, Barner is leaning under on the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side of the Cavaliers vs. Nets spread to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Nets vs. Cavaliers? And which side of the spread is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cavaliers vs. Nets spread you need to jump on, all from the expert who’s crushed his NBA picks, and find out.