Cleveland, OH
Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers prediction, pick for Saturday 12/27/25
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers NBA matchup.
There are nine games of NBA action tipping off across today’s Saturday slate. Tipping off at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Houston Rockets will host the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This marks the second matchup between these two cross-conference opponents this season. The Rockets picked up a 114-104 victory back on November 19th, with this matchup taking place in Cleveland. Tonight’s game will take place in Houston, with the Rockets looking to build off their momentum from their Christmas Day victory over the Lakers.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Rockets enter as 3.5-point favorites and hold -175 Moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cavaliers hold +145 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 233.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Saturday night matchup.
Rockets vs. Cavaliers prediction, preview
The Houston Rockets are off to an 18-10 start to the season and sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. Their 119-96 win over the Lakers on Christmas Day was a lift in momentum after they had dropped four of their previous five games. Houston is 16-12 against the spread this season and the over is 17-10-1 on the year.
Kevin Durant headlines the scoring production with 25.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Alperen Sengun has taken an impressive leap forward in his development this season, averaging 22.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists. Sengun is listed as questionable for the matchup with calf soreness. Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason have each shown encouraging strides in their development. Dorian Finney-Smith also made his return to the court in the previous game and will serve as a veteran presence in the Rockets’ rotation. While there seems to be some growing optimism that he could return before the season is over, Fred VanVleet remains sidelined with the torn ACL he suffered in the summer.
As a team, Houston is scoring 120.5 points per game, which ranks third in the NBA. The Rockets are producing the second-best offensive rating, rank fourth in field goal percentage, second in three-point percentage, and pull in the most rebounds per game. Defensively, opponents are scoring 112.1 points per game against them. This also marks the third-best rate, although they rank 11th in defensive rating, 11th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage. Houston plays at the second-slowest pace in the league.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hold a 17-15 record on the season, which slots them at seventh place in the Eastern Conference. They suffered a 126-124 loss to the Knicks on Christmas in which Cleveland led for 74% of the matchup but blew a 17-point lead. Cleveland is an NBA-worst 10-22 against the spread this season and the over/under is 16-16 in matchups they have played this year.
Donovan Mitchell headlines the production for the Cavaliers, averaging 30.7 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game. Evan Mobley pitches in 18.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while Jarrett Allen adds 13.6 points and 7.6 boards of his own. Darius Garland has battled injury issues this year, but is listed as probable and expected to play his 17th game of the season. The two-time All-Star is posting averages of 17.3 points and 7.1 assists when he has been on the floor. Jaylon Tyson has shown some encouraging growth in his development, while Dean Wade, Lonzo Ball, Sam Merrill, and Craig Porter Jr. round out most of their notable rotation. Larry Nance Jr. and Max Strus remain sidelined with their respective injuries.
Cleveland is scoring 120.2 points per game, which ranks seventh in the NBA. The Cavaliers rank ninth in offensive rating, 19th in field goal percentage, 21st in three-point percentage, ninth in assists per game, and seventh in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring 117.8 points per game against the Cavaliers, which ranks 21st in the league. Cleveland ranks 16th in defensive rating, 14th in opponent field goal percentage, 26th in opponent three-point percentage, and 20th in opponent rebounds allowed.
Rockets vs. Cavaliers pick, best bet
Panic mode is beginning to kick in surrounding the Cavaliers. Coming off a season in which they led the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record last year, Cleveland has not looked nearly as dangerous and nearly matched last year’s losses already. Most concerningly, Garland and Mitchell’s skillsets have not complimented each other, and Cleveland has regularly been dominated on the boards despite leaning on a double big lineup with Mobley and Allen at a regular rate.
This will be especially problematic against this Rockets team, who attack the glass with ferocity and will have the athletic advantage. The Rockets out-rebounded the Cavaliers 51-39 in the first matchup, and Houston leads the NBA with an average of 48.7 boards per game.
There is a level of toughness the Rockets possess that the Cavaliers will struggle to match. Houston also has a more defined identity, while Cleveland seems to still be attempting to find its own. Donovan Mitchell has put forth some heroic stat lines, but too often, he has failed to get the necessary help around him.
You can critique some of Houston’s crunch-time offense, but this is not an issue that should be expected in this matchup. I am backing the Rockets to put this game away early and push the margin of victory well beyond the 3.5-point spread. The Cavaliers are posting an NBA-worst 10-22 record against the spread this season, including failing to cover in six of their last eight.
While the final score finished 114-104 in the first matchup, Houston led by as many as 22 points in the second half. A late push by Cleveland made the score closer than the game really was. I am backing the Rockets to cover the 3.5-spread, but give some consideration to some alternate spreads such as Rockets -7.5 at +150 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rockets are the more talented, tougher, and more polished team. Expect them to have full control of this matchup and produce a convincing victory tonight.
Best Bet: Rockets -3.5 (-115)
Cleveland, OH
Man shot on Cleveland’s West Side
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A man was shot in Cleveland’s Cudell neighborhood Tuesday night.
Cleveland Police 1st District officers responded to the 10100 block of Madison Ave around 9:00 P.M.
A man approximately 45 years of age was found with a gunshot wound.
EMS took the victim to MetroHealth Hospital. This incident remains under investigation.
There is no information on any suspects or arrests.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Leaders in Washington and Cleveland take aim at affordable housing in Northeast Ohio
CLEVELAND — Ahead of her Third Annual Housing Expo this Saturday at Tri-C Corporate College East, Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) rolled out her Safe and Affordable Housing Agenda on Tuesday. It’s a series of four bills aimed at lowering home costs while strengthening lead paint and pipe abatement.
“We wanted to bring something forward that would improve the living conditions, to make things more affordable and more accessible for not only the constituents of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District but those who are experiencing the same challenge across the country,” Brown told News 5.
The Housing Supply Fund Act is legislation that encourages the building of more affordable housing by filling financing gaps that are holding back construction. The legislation would establish a competitive program within the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to address financing gaps that prevent otherwise viable housing projects from moving forward.
“We want to make sure we do not give up on affordable housing; we want to make sure that it is more accessible,” Brown said.
There is also the Affordable Housing Preservation and Protection Act, which is legislation to maintain and preserve existing HUD-assisted housing. This legislation establishes a new HUD preservation authority to provide targeted financing and intervention tools for distressed HUD-assisted multifamily properties at risk of deterioration, foreclosure, or loss of affordability.
The bill is designed to help preserve affordable housing, facilitate responsible ownership transitions, and protect existing federal housing investments serving seniors, working families, and vulnerable residents.
The other two bills introduced deal with the issue of lead abatement. The GET THE LEAD OUT Act of 2026 would create a new federal grant program to replace lead pipes, fixtures, and taps. The legislation would create a broad federal framework to address lead in drinking water and housing by funding removal of lead-based pipe and tap hazards, establishing training and certification requirements, directing federal standards and state programs, and integrating lead plumbing remediation into major housing programs. Brown’s legislation creates new authorities and financing mechanisms to drive national action on residential lead plumbing hazards.
The Removing Existing Pipes with Lead and Advancing Clean Environments (or REPLACE) Act improves existing lead paint and lead pipe removal programs within the federal government. This legislation would amend existing HUD and Safe Drinking Water Act authorities to strengthen lead-paint hazard remediation in housing, improve local implementation capacity, and better coordinate paint and pipe removal efforts.
“We know that this has been a longstanding issue in the City of Cleveland,” she said. “What we’re doing is trying to supplement and amplify the opportunities to be able to address these issues that have long-standing impacts in our community.”
Brown’s announcement comes on the heels of the Bibb administration’s announcement of the creation of the Housing Innovation District, a 1,500-acre swath of land covering St. Clair, Superior and Hough where efforts will begin this summer to repopulate streets that have lost more than half of their homes in recent decades with new housing starting on East 67th south of St. Clair, where ten homes will go up later this year.
A recent New York Times piece cited that among the barriers to building more housing are restrictive zoning and permitting, something the city addresses in this district.
“One of the big things that we’re doing is eliminating permit fees for single-family home construction, which is again a real sort of barrier to this sort of work,” said Tom McNair, Mayor Justin Bibb’s Chief of Integrated Development.
They also established what they call a “Pattern Book,” where they’ve pre-approved designs for certain types of homes in this district to speed up the process.
“When there’s a vacant lot that the city owns, it will be like this is the home you want, this is the lot you want to build on, here’s your permit,” he said.
Congresswoman Brown sees their efforts helping citizens towards the same goal.
“Our legislation would dovetail perfectly into what the mayor is putting forth as well,” she said. “People are doing all of the right things, they’re working hard, but they’re still having trouble getting ahead, and we want to be able to again address that gap as it relates to the opportunity to build wealth in our community, and this legislation will certainly help put people on a pathway to do that.”
Part of that pathway includes Brown’s Housing Expo for constituents of the 11th Congressional District. “It’s a one-stop shop for everything housing, so whether you are a renter or whether you are a first-time home buyer, whether you are looking to renovate, whether you are a senior that’s aging in place. We wanted to bring every aspect of the housing industry under one umbrella, and so we will do that.”
Constituents can register for the free event here.
Cleveland, OH
Fire crews battle Cleveland duplex blaze, ammunition heard popping inside
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Division of Fire responded to a 2 1/2 story side-by-side duplex fire Monday afternoon.
According to Cleveland Fire, the call came in just after 5 p.m. at 2154 and 2156 W 98th St.
The fire started in a second floor bedroom that spread to the attic.
Due to the size of the house and the volume of the fire, an extra engine and ladder companies were called to assist.
Cleveland Fire said a total of eight adults and three children were displaced from the fire and the Red Cross was called to assist.
Firearms were inside the structure and firefighters said they could hear ammunition going off as they fought the fire.
The fire also extended to an old tree that caught fire.
Total estimated loss is $120,000, Cleveland Fire said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation and no injuries were reported.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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