Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics Free Prediction

betdsiArticles, Basketball, NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers (2-2) will travel to TD Garden to clash against the Boston Celtics (2-2) in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavaliers opened as 1-point underdogs. The games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 206 points and it can be seen on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 23, 2018.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics ATS Odds

In game four, James led the Cavaliers to a 111-102 win. He was the games leading scorer with 44 points. Cleveland covered as a 7-point favorite and the two teams combined to score 213 points, which was over the projected point total of 204.5. Cleveland had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (24.3 vs. 19.1). Boston, meanwhile, had a much better turnover percentage (8.4 vs. 16.1).

Boston may have difficulty getting to the foul line in this showdown. The Celtics rank 17th in the NBA with a free throw attempt (FTA) rate of 0.193, while Cleveland ranks second in FTA rate allowed (0.170). Furthermore, the fifth-ranked offense of the Cavaliers (offensive efficiency of 110.7) will clash against the second-ranked defense of the Celtics (defensive efficiency of 102.8).

Of the Cavaliers 97 games, 49 have finished under the O/U total. Cleveland has a solid 60-37 straight up (SU) record, but they have difficulty covering the spread (38-57-2 against the spread (ATS)).

In opposition of Cleveland, games featuring the Celtics have finished over the total 52.0 percent of the time. Moreover, Boston owns records of 65-33 SU and 59-35-4 ATS.

The Cavaliers are 13-8 ATS with 11 unders, nine overs and one push in the playoffs, while the Celtics are 3-3 with five unders and one over,

Terry Rozier has taken his game to another level as of late for Boston, averaging 13.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists over the last five games.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics Betting Pick

Pick: SU Winner – Cavaliers, ATS Winner – Cavaliers, O/U – Under

Betting Notes:

  • The Cavaliers rank 23rd in points in the paint per game (43.4) while the Celtics rank 29th (40.3).
  • Boston ranks fourth in assists allowed per game (21.4) while Cleveland ranks 28th (25.2).
  • The Cavaliers rank 14th in fast break points per game (11.9) while the Celtics rank 27th (9.6).
  • Boston ranks third in second chance points allowed per game (11.1) while Cleveland ranks 15th (12.8).
  • Boston ranks 20th in blocks per game (4.5) while Cleveland ranks 27th (3.8).
  • The Celtics rank eighth in three pointers allowed per game (27.6) while the Cavaliers rank 28th (31.0).
  • The Celtics rank fourth in steals allowed per game (7.1) while the Cavaliers rank 11th (7.3).
  • Boston ranks 11th in rebounds per game (44.1) while Cleveland ranks 25th (41.8).
  • When holding opponents below 100 points, Boston is 41-6 and Cleveland is 20-5.
  • When reaching the century mark, the Celtics are 51-15 and the Cavaliers are 57-18.
  • Boston is 29-17-4 ATS at home, while Cleveland is 22-25-1 ATS on the road.
  • The Cavaliers have 25 overs and 23 unders in 48 road games.
  • The Celtics have 29 overs and 21 unders in 50 home games.

Betting Trends:

  • In their last five games, Cleveland and Boston are both 3-2 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs.
  • The Cavaliers average margin of victory in their last five games has been 7.2, up from 1.0 for the season.
  • During their last five games, the Celtics have scored an average of 103.4 points per game (0.5 below their season average) and allowed an average of 103.2 points per game (2.5 above their season average).