The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics’ basketball gambling Tête à Tête continues this Friday. The Cavs won game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals 117-104 on Wednesday, which should put to rest any lingering concerns that the long layoff had someone atrophied Cleveland’s players. The Celtics missed 11 of their first 14 shots, had 14 TOs and were outrebounded 32-27. Also, Boston seemed to fall for every switch created by Cavs screens in the first half, leaving LeBron James in advantageous matchups. Cleveland held Boston to 35% field goal shooting and 2 of 16 from the three-point line. The Cavaliers had a 26-point lead in the first half, and while the Celts pulled within 92-75 in the third quarter, Cleveland swiftly pulled ahead by 20.
Date: Friday, 19th May
Venue: TD Garden
Sportsbook NBA online betting odds:
Cavaliers -5½ (-110) 220 (-110) -235
Celtics +5½ (-110) 220 (-110) +195
Cleveland
Key players: LeBron James has scored at least 30 points in seven straight playoffs games and is one game short of tying Michael Jordan’s record. Last night was of course no exception as the Big LeBronowski had 35 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists. More often than not the King found himself in one-one-one situations with Jae Crowder. No disrespect to Crowder, but the Boston forward himself admitted that “he has to see bodies behind me. Obviously he got comfortable with what we were doing on the defensive end, and he had his way.” In other words, it’s the King and We, not that the King and I. Hey, maybe Crowder can summon political powers tomorrow night. Elsewhere, Kevin Love scored a playoff-best 32 points and added 12 rebounds.
Recent form: The Cavs have won nine games in a row – and are thus undefeated this postseason – as well as a team-record 12 consecutive playoffs games since game 5 of the Finals. They have bested the Celtics in five of their last six meetings.
NBA online betting odds trends: Cleveland is in fine covering form, going 4-0-1 against the spread in the last five, 4-0-2 ATS in the last six road games, and 5-1 ATS in the last six trips to Boston. The basketball gambling total has gone over in two thirds of the Cavs’ last six games versus the Celtics.
Boston
Key players: Crowder and Avery Bradley had 21 points each and Isaiah Thomas added 17 and 10 assists. However, the trio’s scoring output fell way short of James and Love’s 70 combined points.
Recent form: The Celtics had a five-home game winning streak cut short by the Cavaliers. Additionally, Boston has come out on the losing end in five of their last six times hosting the Cavs.
NBA online betting odds trends: Boston has covered in three fourths of their last 12 games and five of their last six at home, but is 3-6-1 against the spread in the last 10 games when playing versus Cleveland. The basketball gambling total has gone under in six of the Celtics’ last seven games at the Garden against the Cavaliers.