Cleveland Cavaliers are favored to win against the Denver Nuggets with moneyline odds around -250, primarily due to the Nuggets' injury crisis including Nikola Jokic out for at least four weeks alongside Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cameron Johnson, leaving their lineup depleted while the Cavs hold home advantage at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with DexWin - Best Odds on Your Favourite Sports.

The match starts at 12:30 AM UTC on January 3, 2026, which is 7:30 PM ET on January 2, 2026, aligning with the Eastern Time schedule for this NBA game.

The game is at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, with a capacity of 19,432 seats, serving as the home venue for the Cavaliers where they recently upset San Antonio.

Prediction favors a Cavaliers victory with spread around -6.5 and moneyline -250 on DexWin, as Denver's 22-10 record is undermined by missing four starters including Jokic, while Cleveland's 18-16 squad gains momentum from recent wins and faces a shorthanded road opponent.

In recent head-to-head meetings, the teams are closely matched but Cleveland holds a slight edge at home; over the last 10 encounters, Cavaliers lead 6-4 with an average total of 225 points, Nuggets averaging 112 points per game despite strong form prior to injuries.