Specifically, on Friday night, Boston hosts Cleveland on ESPN. Boston needs an NBA betting win to jump back into the race seriously. Beyond the seeding race comes a bigger question for gamblers. Can the Cavaliers beat the Celtics when the rubber meets the road come playoff time? Now is the moment if the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics are going to make their move for the top seed in the East. Boston trails the Cleveland Cavaliers for first place in the Eastern Conference. And the Cavaliers are not showing any signs of slowing down.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics NBA Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Friday, February 28, 2025, 7:30 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | TD Garden, Boston, MA |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
| Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
Cleveland Cavaliers Team Overview
In sum, Cleveland has NBA metrics of 1st for scoring offense, 2nd for field goal percentage, 1st for 3-point field goal percentage, 13th for free throw percentage, and 11th for offensive rebounding.
In comparison on defense, the Cavaliers have NBA metrics of 10th for scoring defense, 20th for field goal percentage permitted, 20th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 12th for defensive rebounding.
First among Cleveland scorers is Donovan Mitchell, with 24.0 points per game. Darius Garland adds 21.3 points and 6.7 assists per game. At the same time, Evan Mobley averages 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 46-10 straight up, 37-19 against the spread, and 37-19 over/under the online betting total. Late on, Cleveland has covered eight out of their last 11 games, including four in a row. In contrast, the Cavaliers have gone over the total in four of its previous five matchups. Concurrently, Cleveland is 1st in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Boston is six games behind the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Boston Celtics Team Overview
Boston’s NBA metrics rank it 6th for scoring offense, 18th for field goal percentage, 10th for 3-point field goal percentage, 8th for free throw percentage, and 9th for offensive rebounding.
By contrast, on defense, the Celtics rank third in NBA metrics for scoring defense, second for field goal percentage permitted, fourth for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 15th for defensive rebounding.
First among Boston scorers is Jayson Tatum, with 26.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Jaylen Brown adds 22.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. Kristaps Porzingis averages 19.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per matchup.
The Boston Celtics are 40-16 straight up, 24-31-1 against the spread, and 26-29-1 over/under the total. Late on, Boston has covered only six out of their last 17 home games. In turn, the Celtics have gone over the total in seven of its previous 11 matchups.
Cavaliers at Celtics SBG Free Pick
Cleveland is an NBA betting profit machine that the masses continue to ignore. Boston remains one of the most powerful but expensive public brands on the board.
Overall, Cleveland has been a strong value against Boston in this series. The Cavaliers covered 13 of their last 20 games against the Celtics, and six of the most recent ten meetings between the Cavaliers and Celtics went under the total. Meanwhile, at Boston, the Cavaliers got the cash in six of their last eight games against the Celtics, and six of those eight games went over the total.
On this occasion, Cleveland will offer maximum value as the quality and profitable road team. In comparison, Boston is an overpriced mega brand that offers no value.
Cavaliers at Celtics SBG Best Bet: Cleveland Cavaliers and Over the Total.