Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics: Odds, Analysis, NBA Betting Pick
The Cleveland Cavaliers (25-12) will try to stop a three-game winning streak for the Boston Celtics (30-10) on Wednesday when they pay a visit to TD Garden.
The Cavaliers will not have former Celtic Isaiah Thomas on the court, though, despite him making his 2017/18 debut on Tuesday and scoring 17 points in 19 minutes of a 127-110 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Point spread: The Celtics opened as one-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)
NBA betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 107.2-100.9, Celtics (NBA picks on every game)
Why the Cavaliers can cover the spread
Cleveland ended a three-game skid as Thomas made his debut, and he will avoid the drama of a Boston return here in an effort to stay healthy after returning from a hip injury.
Regardless, the buzz around the Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers is real, and the confidence they should have going into this rematch gives them an edge.
Cleveland won the season opener 102-99, improving to 6-1 straight up in the past seven meetings (4-3 against the spread), according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
Why the Celtics can cover the spread
The Celtics will be motivated to beat the Cavaliers here, especially after what happened the last time they met in Cleveland. In that game, Gordon Hayward suffered a gruesome leg injury, which could end up costing him his first season in Boston.
The Celtics went on to win 16 of their next 17 games and have been the best team in the Eastern Conference since then.
While the Cavaliers are riding high behind some positive momentum, they are still just 10-8 SU on the road this season (9-9 ATS).
Smart betting pick
With all due respect to the Toronto Raptors, the two best teams in the East will square off at TD Garden.
Boston's Kyrie Irving will be out to avenge a loss to his former team in this spot following his trade from Cleveland in the offseason when he was dealt for Thomas and Jae Crowder.
Irving scored 22 points in the first meeting and was one of the league's best players in December, averaging 26.7 points on 49.8 percent shooting. He will be attempt to outperform former teammate LeBron James and show him just how good his new team is compared to the Cavs.
Bet the Celtics to win and cover.
NBA betting trends
Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last six games.
Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last six games on the road.
The total has gone over in five of Boston's last seven games at home.
All NBA odds and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.
