Cavaliers vs. Celtics NBA Expert Prediction and Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 2 (Bet This Trend for Boston)
By Peter Dewey
As expected, the Boston Celtics blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, despite a poor shooting game from Jayson Tatum.
Now, Boston is favored by even more (13.5 points to be exact) in Game 2 at TD Garden, a bad sign for a Cavs team that is now 10-15 against the spread as a road underdog this season.
With Boston now moving to an odds on favorite to win the NBA Finals, how should we bet on them in Game 2 of the second round of the playoffs? Should we expect another blowout?
I have a breakdown for this game including the odds, key players and my best bet to help bettors wager on this matchup:
Cavaliers vs. Celtics Odds, Spread and Total
Cavaliers vs. Celtics How to Watch
- Date: Thursday, May 9
- Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: TD Garden
- How to watch (TV): ESPN
- Series: Celtics lead 1-0
Cavaliers vs. Celtics Injury Reports
Cavs Injury Report
- Jarrett Allen – questionable
- Craig Porter Jr. – out
- Dean Wade – out
- Ty Jerome – out
Celtics Injury Report
- Kristaps Porzingis – out
Cavaliers vs. Celtics Key Players to Watch
Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell: Donovan Mitchell was one of the only players to do anything for Cleveland in Game 1, scoring 33 points on 12-for-25 shooting from the field. As much as the Cavs need him to keep this up, Mitchell needs help from Evan Mobley or Darius Garland to have any shot in this series.
Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown: Jayson Tatum struggled to shoot the ball in Game 1, but Jaylen Brown picked up the slack, shooting 12-for-18 from the field on his way to an efficient 32 points. JB is a tough matchup for the Cavs when they play two small guards, as he usually can find a mismatch (Max Strus, Garland) on offense. If Tatum continues to struggle, Brown is going to have a massive role in the offense in Game 2.
Cavaliers vs. Celtics Prediction and Pick
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Boston Celtics are elite in the first half.
After covering in Game 1, the Celtics are now 61-26-1 against the spread in the first half, by far the best mark in the NBA.
So, I’m going back to the well and taking them to cover in the first half in Game 2 as well.
Why the first half over the full game?
Well, Boston is now favored by 13.5 points in Game 2, and I’m worried about a potential Cavs backdoor cover if the C’s rest their starters down the stretch of a game.
Either way, Boston has won five of its six playoff games this postseason by at least 14 points (the only one it didn’t, it lost).
Cleveland had very little offensive help for Donovan Mitchell in Game 1, and I don’t expect that to change much given the team’s playoff performance so far, especially on the road. The Cavs have yet to win or cover in a road game this postseason.
Bet Boston to lead big early on.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.