Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Preview
Game three of this Eastern Conference first-round series between the Celtics and Cavaliers is currently tied at 1-1. Saturday’s game is set for 8:30 PM ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland and will be televised on ABC. The Celtics are currently favored by 7.5 points and are -331 on the money line. The Cavaliers are +265, and the over/under line is 211 points.
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Over their previous five games against the Cavaliers, the Celtics have put together a record of 3-2. Across the last three head to head matchups between the Celtics and Cavaliers, the teams have averaged 212 points per game with an over/under record of 1-2. The last three times they have faced off with the Cavaliers as the home team, the OU record is 1-2.
- The Celtics are 3-2 ATS in their last road games and 4-1 straight-up.
- In their last three games at home, the Cavaliers have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 103 points per game in this stretch.
- In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Cavaliers have a straight up record of 1-9 and an ATS mark of 2-8.
- Through their last five games as the favorite, the Celtics have an ATS record of 4-1 and a straight up mark of 4-1.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Prediction
Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers had a big game in the last game of this series, as they picked up a 24-point win over the Celtics. Mitchell knocked down five threes and finished with 29 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Evan Mobley also had a big game for the Cavs with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Going into the game, the Celtics were 13-point favorites, but Cleveland easily covered the spread.
The over/under line for the game was set at 212.5 points, and the teams just missed hitting the over with a combined 212 points. The Cavs had a big third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 36-24. Boston made just eight threes in the game and shot 22.9% from beyond the arc.
In games against the spread, the Celtics have gone 21-20 on the road and 46-39 overall. They have covered the spread in their last two road games and have an average scoring margin of +7.9 points per game on the road.
This season, the Celtics have been favored in 85 of their 82 games and have a record of 67-18 as the favorite. As the favorite, they are 44-37 against the spread and have an average scoring margin of +12 points per game.
Boston’s O/U record for the season is 46-42-1, and their games have averaged a combined 227.8 points per game. Today’s O/U line of 211 is lower than their season average of 227.4.
In their most recent game against the Cavaliers, the Celtics lost by a score of 118-94. Boston was favored by 13 points in that game and had an ATS loss. The O/U line for that game was 212.5.
The Celtics finished the regular season with a record of 64-18, which is the best in the Eastern Conference. Against other Eastern Conference teams, they went 41-11 and 23-7 in non-conference games.
Boston comes into the game as the NBA’s second-ranked scoring offense, at 120.6 points per game. However, they are just 23rd in pace, averaging 97.2 possessions per contest. The Celtics lead the league in both three-point attempts and three-point makes this season. On average, they attempt 42.5 threes per game and are connecting on 38% of their attempts.
Jaylen Brown has averaged 23 points per game over his last five games while shooting 52.2% from the field. Derrick White is averaging 22.8 points per game in his last five games, and 4.6 made threes per contest. Jayson Tatum is averaging 26.9 points per game for the season, and Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds for the season.
Heading into tonight’s game, the Celtics defense is ranked 4th in the NBA, giving up just 108.2 points per game. Over their last five games, they have been even stingier, allowing just 93.8 points per contest. This season, opponents have scored less than their season average in 73.2% of games vs. Boston.
On the season, the Celtics are the top team in the league at defending the free-throw line, allowing just 17 made free-throws per game. Over their last five games, they have been even better in that department, giving up just 10 made free-throws per contest.
One area where the Celtics have struggled this season is in the steals department, as they rank just 28th in the league at 6.8 steals per game. However, they are one of the best shot-blocking teams in the NBA, ranking 2nd in blocked shots per game.
Cleveland enters today’s game as the 7.5-point underdog. As the underdog this season, the Cavaliers have gone 12-22 and have an average scoring margin of -6.5 points per game.
At home, the Cavaliers have a scoring differential of +4.4 points per game. This season, they are 30-15 at home and have covered the spread in four straight games.
The Cavaliers’ O/U record for the season is 45-45-1, and their games have averaged 220.6 points per game. Today’s O/U line is set at 211, and 73 of their games have had higher O/U lines than that.
Cleveland’s last game was also against the Celtics, and they won by a score of 118-94. The Cavaliers were 13-point underdogs in that game, and the O/U line was 212.5.
In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers are currently in 4th place with a record of 48-34. Against other Eastern Conference teams, they are 31-21 compared to 17-13 in non-conference games.
For the season, the Cavaliers have an ATS record of 42-47, going 22-23 ATS at home and 20-24 ATS on the road.
Donovan Mitchell has been carrying the Cavaliers’ offense of late, averaging 35.8 points per game in his last five games. This has come while hitting 49.2% of his shots from the field. Over this stretch, he also averaged 4.8 assists and 6.4 rebounds. For the season, he is averaging 26.6 points per game.
Cleveland is 23rd in scoring this season, at 112.6 points per game. Their home scoring average is 113.3 points per contest, which is 17th in the league. Looking at their three-point shooting, they are 11th in attempts and makes, but just 19th in three-point shooting percentage.
So far this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, ranking 7th in points allowed per game at 109.4. They have been even better at home, where they are giving up just 108.8 points per game, which is 6th in the league.
One area where the Cavaliers have been strong is defending the three-point line, as they are 10th in three-point percentage allowed at 36.5%. They have also done a good job of contesting shots, ranking 4th in field goal percentage allowed at 46.1%.
Over their last five games, Cleveland has been even better defensively, ranking 2nd in field goal percentage allowed at 41.9%. During this stretch, opponents have made just 30.8% of their three-point attempts.
According to our analysis, we anticipate the Celtics to win this one with a projected score of 115-105.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Betting Tips
- Take the Celtics on the moneyline
- The Celtics should also cover at -7.5
- Projecting a combined 220 points, we like the over
Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report
- Jarrett Allen – Rib – Questionable
- Ty Jerome – Ankle – Out
- Dean Wade – Knee – Questionable
- Craig Porter Jr. – Ankle – Out
Boston Celtics Injury Report
- Kristaps Porzingis – Calf – Out
