Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics Free Pick - Betting Odds - Point Spread Prediction

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics Free Pick - Betting Odds - Point Spread Prediction

David Schwab
Date: March 1, 8:00 pm
Location: TD Garden
TV: ESPN

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Cleveland -1
Total: 222.5

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will try and extend their lead in the Eastern Conference this Wednesday night in a road game against the second-place Boston Celtics. Tip off from TD Garden is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
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Cleveland at Boston Game Overview<br />
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<p>
The Cavaliers continue to pick up the pace in their quest for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a straight-up 9-2 run in their last 11 games. Monday’s night’s 102-95 victory at home against Milwaukee raised their overall record to 41-17, but after failing to cover as 9.5-point favorites, they are 27-29-2 against the spread this season. The total stayed UNDER 218.5 points against the Bucks and it has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in three of its last four games.
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LeBron James and Kyrie Irving continue to fill the void left by Kevin Love’s knee injury and they combined for almost half (49) of Cleveland’s 102 points in Monday’s win. James leads the team in both points (25.7) and assists (8.8) while Irving remains a close second with 24.6 points and six assists a game. The Cavaliers are the third-highest scoring team in the NBA this season with 111.1 points per game and they have exceeded that average seven times in their last 11 contests.
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Boston was on a roll since late January with an 11-1 SU run, but it has cooled off lately with just one SU victory in its last four games. Monday’s 114-98 loss to Atlanta as four-point home favorites was the ninth time in the Celtics’ last 13 games that they failed to cover ATS. The total ended as a PUSH against the Hawks after staying UNDER in four of their previous five games. Boston (38-22) is now 31-28-1 ATS overall with a costly 11-18 record ATS at home.
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With no major additions to the roster before last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, Boston will continue to rely heavily on the play of Isaiah Thomas in its push towards the postseason. He was named NBA Player of the Month in January and on the year he is second in the league in scoring with 29.6 points per game. Avery Bradley returned to the lineup against Atlanta and scored six points in 15 minutes of action. The Celtics are seventh in the league in scoring with 107.9 points and at the other end of the court they fall to 17th in points allowed (105.7).
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<h2>
Cleveland at Boston Game Betting Trends<br />
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The Cavaliers have covered ATS in four of their last five road games and they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games against the Atlantic Division. The total has gone OVER in their last five games on the road.
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The Celtics are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games against a team from the Central Division, but they have failed to cover in their last six home games. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in four of their last five games played at home.
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Head-to-head in this conference tilt, the road team has gone 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in the last four meetings in Boston.
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Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics Prediction

The Cavaliers come into this showdown in better overall form and the road team in this matchup has a significant edge in the last several meetings, but Boston is still a very good team that should be feeling rather desperate to post a very big win.

Despite some unfavorable trends on the total line, I still like the OVER on Wednesday night. However, my top play is Boston at home with the win both SU and ATS.

Free Pick: Take the Celtics +1
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