The Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards will meet in an NBA Cup group stage game on Friday night in Washington, D.C. Cleveland is slowly starting to get healthy and will try to win a third game in a row at the expense of a Wizards team that has been struggling mightily early in the 2025-26 NBA season. For a full breakdown of this game, including my Cavaliers vs Wizards prediction, continue reading my preview below.
Our Cavaliers vs Wizards Pick
- Pick: Washington Wizards +13.5
- Confidence: ★★☆☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards
- Date & Time: Friday, November 7, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
The Cavaliers have plenty of momentum after back-to-back strong offensive performancesThey most recently earned a 132-121 win over Philadelphia, where Donovan Mitchell poured in 46 points. Mitchell is averaging 31.9 points per game on stellar efficiency (57.6% from the floor, 45.5% from three). Their supporting cast of Evan Mobley (19.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg) and Jarrett Allen (15.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg) gives Cleveland a balanced attack that will only look more dangerous with Darius Garland returning to action.
The Wizards are 1-7 so far this season and have lost six games in a row entering this contest. They are struggling defensively, surrendering 128.1 points per game and ranking dead last in the NBA in that statistical category. Their offense has been inconsistent, averaging 111.9 points per game. Recent blowout losses to the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic have shown that this team is still developing and not yet ready to compete at the highest level. Alex Sarr (19.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg) and Kyshawn George (16.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) have shown promise, but the roster lacks veteran stability around that young talent.
Cleveland has won their last 12 meetings against Washington dating back to 2022. The only thing that could hold the Cavs back in this game is the fact that they are playing on the front end of a back-to-back in this game. Both teams have to play again on Saturday and those scheduling situations can always lead to a surprise or two on the court.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- This is the first of three games to be played between these teams in the regular season.
- Cleveland is 2-6 against the spread to begin the season.
- Washington is 1-7 against the spread going into this game.
- The over has hit in five of Washington’s first eight games.
- The under has cashed in five of Cleveland’s eight games thus far.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) | Over 26.5 points |
| Alex Sarr (Wizards) | Over 16.5 points |
| Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers) | Over 8.5 rebounds |
Cavaliers vs Wizards Model Projection
Score Projection: Cavaliers 121 – Wizards 111
Win Probability: Cavaliers 85%, Wizards 15%
Final Thoughts
The Cavaliers shouldn’t have much of a problem winning in Washington on Friday night. But I do think that the final margin in that game will be closer to 10 points than the number required for Cleveland to cover the spread. I’ll take all of those points with the Wizards in hopes that Cleveland is holding something back for tomorrow against Chicago.
