Sportsbook.com has lowered Cleveland down to\u00a0three-point favorites<\/strong>\u00a0because of injuries, though the Total has remained stable at 185.5. This is the opener on ESPN starting just after 8 pm ET. \u00a0<\/p>\n The Cavaliers lost in overtime to Chicago last night and will be short-handed for tonight\u2019s important contest. Starting guard\u00a0Delonte West broke his right wrist in a violent collision with Chicago\u2019s Derrick Rose and will be out an undetermined amount of time.<\/p>\n The Cavs were already without center\u00a0Zydrunas Ilgauskas\u00a0(broken ankle) and Ben Wallace did not play last night due to an intestinal flu. LeBron James is fighting a cold and had likely his worst game of the season last night shooting 8 of 28 and committing eight turnovers.<\/p>\n All of these elements are coming together at the wrong time for Cleveland. The Cavs (30-7, 26-11 ATS) have taken full advantage of a soft schedule in the first half of the season, but unlike the Cleveland weather, things are about to heat up for them.<\/p>\n After tonight\u2019s matchup with the talented Hornets, they embark on a four-game West swing, playing in unfriendly outposts like Portland, Utah and Los Angeles (Lakers). Before Ground Hogs Day, LeBron and whoever else is standing also play in Orlando and Detroit. Yikes!<\/p>\n But as all good coaches tell their players, \u201cFocus on tonight\u201d, which is what Cleveland has to do. One edge they have is Quicken Loans Arena, where coach Mike Brown\u2019s team has yet to taste defeat with a 19-0 record. Not many squeakers either for the Cavs who are\u00a015-4 ATS at home<\/strong>, winning by a gargantuan 16.5 points per game.<\/p>\n The Cavs could use the quickness of West to help slow down Chris Paul, who nearly had a quadruple-double against Dallas in a victory two days ago.<\/p>\n New Orleans (23-12, 16-18-1 ATS) has alternated wins and losses in their last six contests and is 11-7 (8-9 ATS) on the road. The problem here for the Hornets is playing quality competition on the road, as they are only\u00a05-12-1 ATS<\/strong>\u00a0if their opponent has a winning home record.<\/p>\n New Orleans is\u00a017-5 UNDER<\/strong>\u00a0in a road game where the Total is between 180 and 189.5 points and Cleveland is\u00a016-3 UNDER<\/strong>\u00a0off a loss against a division rival.<\/p>\n Power Line \u2013 Cleveland by 6<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n