For the past few seasons in the NBA, it has been the same two teams that have dominated their respective conferences, with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors setting the bar that every other team is trying to teach. There are some signs that this might be the year when we see a shift in power, at least in the Eastern Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently down in 3rd place, and it is the Boston Celtics who are currently leading the way, holding on to a 3.5 game lead over the Cavs and dominating the NBA betting lines night after night.
There is still a lot of basketball to be played this season, but you can bet that the Cavaliers do not want to see that deficit climb much higher. This is why the trip to Boston to face the NBA odds favorite Celtics on Wednesday night is such an important one for the Cavaliers. They will want to close the gap a little on the leaders, whilst also trying to move into second ahead of the Toronto Raptors. The last meeting between these two was a good one, so let’s hope for more of the same here.
They are down below the middle of the pack in scoring but don’t really need to be a scoring machine when they are so solid on the defensive side of the court. The Celtics are 19-8 against conference opponents and have put together a solid 16-5 record in their own building. They also hold a 12-7 record against teams with a record of .500 or better.
Cleveland at Boston NBA Betting Lines & Expert Analysis
“I just love his ability to attack, get into the paint and shoot the ball.” – Coach Lue on @IsaiahThomas
Relive last night’s #CavsBlazers W with @CavsFredMcLeod.#AllForOne pic.twitter.com/5j8fk55UiE — Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) 3 de enero de 2018
- When: Wednesday, January 3, 8 PM EST
- Where: TD Garden, Boston
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: 100.7 FM (Cleveland) / 680 AM (Boston)
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
- NBA Betting Lines: Boston Celtics -3.5 (Over/Under at 212.5 points)
Team Records
- All: Cleveland Cavaliers 25-12 / Boston Celtics 30-10
- Home: Cleveland Cavaliers 15-4 / Boston Celtics 16-5
- Away: Cleveland Cavaliers 10-8 / Boston Celtics 14-5
- As Favorite: Cleveland Cavaliers 20-10 / Boston Celtics 23-8
- As Underdog: Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2 / Boston Celtics 6-2
- ATS: Cleveland Cavaliers 12-24-1 / Boston Celtics 24-14-2
- Over/Under: Cleveland Cavaliers 18-18-1 / Boston Celtics 20-19-1
Warriors at Rockets NBA Odds, Pick & Betting Analysis
Recent Head to Head (Last 10 Games)
- Record: Cleveland Cavaliers lead 8-2
- Score: Cleveland Cavaliers 116.90 / Boston Celtics 103.50
- Field Goal Percentage: Cleveland Cavaliers 44.46 / Boston Celtics 49.82
- Rebounds: Cleveland Cavaliers 38.30 / Boston Celtics 44.20
- 3 Point Shots: Cleveland Cavaliers 110-331 / Boston Celtics 129-335
- Steals: Cleveland Cavaliers 7.50 / Boston Celtics 6.80
Why bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers?
The Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting in 3rd in the Eastern Conference with a record of 27-12, and you have to say that it has been their non-conference play that has hurt them to this point. The Cavs are a solid 18-7 against other teams from the East as compared to just 9-5 versus teams from the Western Conference. The Cavaliers are, as they always seem to be, one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA, averaging over 110 PPG, but they have been let down on the defensive side of the court, surrendering over 107 PPG. That has led them to a 6-4 record in their last 10 games, which is not good enough for a team that has aspirations of once again being a conference winner. The Cavaliers have been good against the Celtics in recent games, winning 4 of their last 5, including their previous meeting this season, but that’s not enough to be considered the NBA betting lines favorite for this contest.Team Statistics
Offense- Total Score: 110.51
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.82
- Three-Point Percentage: 38.19
- Free Throw Percentage: 80.72
- Total Rebounds: 41.70
- Total Score: 107.35
- Field Goal Percentage: 46.95
- Three-Point Percentage: 37.10
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.44
- Total Rebounds: 42.81
Why bet on the Boston Celtics?
The Boston Celtics had been stumbling a little of late, but appear to have pulled out of their slump, winning 3 games in a row. They now hold a 2.5 game lead over the Raptors in second place and a 3.5 game lead on the Cavaliers. The Celtics are defensively sound and are one of only two teams in the league giving up less than 100 PPG. They are the only team in the Eastern Conference currently hitting that mark.
They are down below the middle of the pack in scoring but don’t really need to be a scoring machine when they are so solid on the defensive side of the court. The Celtics are 19-8 against conference opponents and have put together a solid 16-5 record in their own building. They also hold a 12-7 record against teams with a record of .500 or better.
Team Statistics
Offense- Total Score: 103.45
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.31
- Three-Point Percentage: 37.62
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.42
- Total Rebounds: 44.03
- Total Score: 98.50
- Field Goal Percentage: 43.58
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.40
- Free Throw Percentage: 75.61
- Total Rebounds: 43.65
Latest NBA Betting Trends
- Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on the road
- Cavaliers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland’s last 7 games on the road
- Celtics are 4-7-1 ATS in their last 12 games
- Celtics are 16-4 SU in their last 20 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Boston’s last 9 games when playing at home against Cleveland
