NBA Notebook: Cavaliers have been sensational against the spread

Christmas Day may be just around the corner, but the NBA world never goes on holiday. Come along as we get you caught up on the latest stories from around the league in our weekly NBA Notebook.

STEPH CURRY SETS ALL-TIME 3-POINT RECORD

At long last, the universally acknowledged greatest shooter of all time, Steph Curry, now owns the record for most regular season 3-pointers made. The previous two record-holders, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, were both in attendance at Madison Square Garden, and play stopped after Curry hit the record-breaking shot early in the first quarter.

While some may have tried to downplay the significance of the event, Curry embraced it. First by letting out a primal scream, then eventually being moved to tears after embracing his mom. It was a beautiful moment, and a fitting celebration of one of the best and most influential players to ever touch a basketball.

The real question is if Steph can be caught. While many probably assume that Curry's unparalleled combination of creativity, volume, and efficiency make it unlikely, his influence has so changed the game that there are many young players early in their careers that are currently outpacing Steph.

I’d be shocked if we ever see another shooter as good as Curry, but I do think it likely that someone will eclipse Steph’s total in his lifetime.

NBA CHRISTMAS DAY JEOPARDIZED BY COVID-19

The NBA continues to be hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks. 63 players have entered protocols this season, 47 just in the month of December. With stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook entering protocols in the last few days and the Brooklyn Nets running a skeleton crew, the NBA Christmas Day slate - if not the entire season - is in jeopardy. 

The NBA has announced increased testing for the holiday break, but that doesn’t solve the immediate and ongoing outbreaks afflicting teams throughout the Association. It’s odd to think that it took just one player, Rudy Gobert, testing positive to suspend the entire league. Now, it’s unclear what it would take for that to happen again, but if the NBA wants to save the most important day on the regular season calendar, it might need to take radical action.

DANNY AINGE TAKES TOP JAZZ JOB

After a brief period of semi-retirement, Danny Ainge, former general manager and architect of the Boston Celtics, has taken over the top job with the Utah Jazz. Ainge engineered the trades that secured Boston’s 2008 championship, as well as moves that landed the team's two current stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Despite that, Ainge was hammered for the perception that he wasn’t aggressive enough on the trade market, and that his record outside the lottery was less than stellar. In my mind though, this was an excellent hire, and significantly cushions the blow of Utah losing Dennis Lindsey, who was one of the stronger general managers in the NBA.

ZION WILLIAMSON INJURY UPDATE

The troubling saga of Zion Williamson’s foot injury continues. 

Williamson has experienced yet another setback, and following an injection on his injured foot, will be re-evaluated in four-to-six weeks. That means it will be nearing 50 games played before Zion even has the chance to begin ramping up on-court activities.

At this point, I would bet against Williamson playing meaningful basketball this season, outside of some tune up games down the stretch once the Pelicans are clearly out of the Play-In picture. It’s sad and scary, and I hope we can see Zion back at full strength soon.

CLEVELAND BETS STILL PAYING DIVIDENDS

We hit on this note earlier this year, but it’s even more true now than it was then. If you’re looking to bet the spread on an NBA team this season, you can’t go wrong with Cleveland.

By Simple Rating System (SRS), a formula that takes into account point differential and strength of schedule, the Cavaliers have been the best team in the Eastern Conference. Per Basketball Reference, their 5.76 SRS is third in the NBA, just behind the Phoenix Suns (5.84), and significantly ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks (3.14).

That has led to an incredible 23-5-2 record against the spread this season, covering in a staggering 82.1% of their games.

This can no longer be considered a fluke. the Cavaliers are really good, and there’s still time to take advantage of their futures markets, as their schedule is going to get significantly easier after Christmas. +1400 to win the division is real value.