Cavaliers vs Celtics picks - November 19
A modest six-game slate in the NBA on Tuesday night is headlined by a huge Eastern Conference showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. Making it even more intriguing is that it is part of the NBA Cup (previously known as the In-Season Tournament) -- as is every game in the association on Tuesday. Cleveland comes in with an unbelievable 15-0 record, while Boston sits in second place in the East at 11-3. Prior to tip-off (7:00 pm ET on TNT), let’s break down the betting odds and discuss the best bets to make for Cavs vs Celtics.
Predictions
Pick #1 – Cleveland Cavaliers +3.5 over Boston Celtics (-110)
Pick #2 – Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics Over 229.5 (-110)
PICK #1: Cavaliers +3.5 over Celtics (-110)
The Cavaliers are off to the second-best start in NBA history (tied with two other franchises), albeit still well behind the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (24-0) at the moment. They are pouring in 123.7 points per game, by far the most in the league. Donovan Mitchell (24.6 points per game), Darius Garland (21.4 ppg), Evan Mobley (18.1 ppg) and Jarrett Allen (14.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg) have all been outstanding. Caris LeVert, Ty Jerome and Georges Niang – among several others – provide plenty of depth off the bench. Cleveland is beating opponents by 12.3 points per game and has won its last two contests by a combined 32 points.
Boston is obviously loaded, as well, but it has lost three games – all of which have come following a 4-0 start. Kristaps Porzingis is sidelined until at least December due to a foot injury and Jrue Holiday is questionable for Tuesday because of a knee issue. Facing Boston on the road is about as difficult as it gets, but keep in mind that the Celtics lost to an undermanned Atlanta Hawks squad as 16-point favorites inside TD Garden last week. They also needed overtime to get past the visiting Toronto Raptors this past Saturday. Those results don’t inspire much confidence. Giving an undefeated opponent 3.5 points is simply too much so we’re rolling with the Cavs to at least cover the spread.
PICK #2: Over 229.5 (-110)
Each team is fantastic on both ends of the floor, but don’t be surprised if electric offenses get the best of stout defenses in this case.
Mitchell has scored at least 36 points in two of the last three games and his shooting stroke this season has been elite. The Louisville product is shooting 46.9 percent from the floor (would be the second-best mark of his career) and 42.1 percent from three-point range (by far his best). Garland has poured in 25 points or more in three consecutive contests and Mobley has been on a tear over the last five outings. During this stretch, the big man out of USC has scored at least 25 points on three occasions and has delivered three double-doubles.
Of course, you also can’t sleep on the Celtics. This a matchup between the top two scoring teams in the league, as Boston ranks second at 121.6 ppg. Jayson Tatum (29.7 ppg) is playing at an MVP level and 2023-24 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown is not far behind at 25.6 ppg. Five guys on the roster are currently averaging at least 12.8 ppg, including a red-hot Derrick White at 18.9 ppg. It’s also worth noting that both Cleveland and Boston rank in the top 11 league-wide in pace of play, measured by possessions per game. They are content to play fast, giving this game all the more reason to feature a ton of points.
