Lakers vs. Cavaliers prediction, odds, spread, start time: 2026 NBA picks for Wednesday, Jan. 28

LeBron James returns to Cleveland as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Cavaliers in one of the first tips on the Wednesday NBA schedule. James has opposed the team that drafted him 24 times, going 19-5 in those games as a member of the Heat and now the Lakers. The Lakers are 3-1 on their current road trip and 28-17 overall. The Cavs have won four straight as they are now 28-20. Both teams are in fifth in their respective conference. Austin Reaves (calf) is out for Los Angeles. Darius Garland (toe) and Evan Mobley (calf) are both out for Cleveland.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage Arena. Cleveland is a 3-point favorite in the Cavaliers vs. Lakers odds, while the over/under is 235.5. Before making any Lakers vs. Cavaliers picks, check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model enters Week 15 of the 2025-26 NBA season on a sizzling 37-16 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has simulated Lakers vs. Cavaliers 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Cavs vs. Lakers: 

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How to make Cavaliers vs. Lakers picks

SportsLine’s model has simulated Lakers vs. Cavaliers 10,000 times and is going Over on the total (235.5 points). The Lakers have trended to the Over this season, with 25 of their 45 games hitting that side of the total. The Cavs not having Mobley, the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year, should contribute to more scoring as well.

SportsLine’s model is projecting a combined 240 points as the Over hits 55% of the time. 

It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in more than 50% of simulations. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks. 

So who wins Lakers vs. Cavaliers, and which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.