If you’ve been backing the Boston Celtics in the postseason, you already know they’ve played extremely well at home and extremely poorly on the road. With Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final shifting back to Massachusetts, the Celtics will look to wipe the slate clean after a brutal Ohio road trip and regain the form they had in the first two games of the series. After the first two games went below the total, is another UNDER in store tonight? Dating back to the second round, the UNDER is 5-2 in Boston’s last seven games.
Sportsbook opened the Celtics as 1-point home underdogs with a total of 206.
- The total has gone UNDER in four of the Cavaliers’ last six games.
- The Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games.
- The Cavaliers are 7-2 SU in their last nine games.
The Celtics are 9-0 SU at TD Garden in the playoffs and won Game 1 and 2 by an average of 19 points. Boston followed that up by dropping two to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena by an average of 19.5 points. Jaylen Brown will be relied heavily upon once again in Game 5, as the young guard is averaging 20.3 points in the series and recorded a 25-point effort in Game 4 – his third outing with at least 20 points in the Eastern Conference final.
The Cavs, who are 3-4 SU on the road in the playoffs, will go as far as LeBron James can take them, and if the past two contests are the benchmark, an eighth straight trip to the NBA Finals is not out of the question for the superstar. James poured in 44 points in Game 4 – his sixth 40-point showing of the playoffs, which is the most in a single postseason since the legendary Allen Iverson had six for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 playoffs.
Veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver (14 points, three blocks) has gone 13-for-20 with eight three-pointers over the past three games, while center Tristan Thompson (13 points, 12 boards) recorded his third double-double of the playoffs in Game 4. The Cavs will need Kevin Love to get going, however, as the power forward is shooting a measly 37.5 percent in the series.
The Cavs also have a penchant for going UNDER totals when making the trip to Beantown. The UNDER is 10-3 in the last 13 matchups between the squads in Boston.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Sportsbooks such as Sportsbook had the Boston Celtics installed as 1-point underdogs in this particular NBA matchup. The OVER/UNDER betting line for the total number of points scored was listed by most sportsbooks, including Sportsbook, at 206.
OddsShark computer prediction handicapping models run on this game pick a 105-102 victory for the Cavaliers. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NBA matchups here.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Boston Celtics currently sport a record of 65-33, and have posted a corresponding betting slate of 61-35-2 ATS. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 60-37 and 38-58-1 ATS. Betting totals have seen the Celtics post a 51-46-1 OVER/UNDER record this season, while the Cavaliers have gone 46-49-2 against the total number of points scored. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Boston vs Cleveland injuries news.
It's a betting matchup between the No. 11-rated Celtics and the No. 8-ranked Cavaliers, according to the NBA Power Rankings here at OddsShark.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits Boston's No. 21-ranked offense averaging 103.89 PPG, against a Cleveland defense that ranks No. 23 at 108.65 PPG. The Celtics' field-goal percentage has averaged 44.94% so far, less than the Cavaliers shooters have achieved on the year, 47.41% per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
- Cleveland is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
- Cleveland is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games when playing Boston
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing Boston
- Boston is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games
- Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
- The total has gone OVER in 15 of Boston's last 23 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games
Next Betting Matchups
Cleveland home to Boston, Friday, May 25
