Celtics vs. Cavaliers Odds, Preview, and Prediction
Celtics vs. Cavaliers Odds
| Celtics Odds | -3 |
| Cavaliers Odds | +3 |
| Over/Under | 213.5 |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 13 |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBATV |
On Saturday evening, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers will battle at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Boston enters play this evening having won four of their last five games, but last night’s overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks is likely to have them fatigued heading to Cleveland. The Cavaliers’ only loss during the month of November came on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards—a game during which Cleveland held a double-digit fourth quarter lead before losing in the closing seconds. Oddsmakers anticipate the Celtics emerging victorious in this matchup, pricing Boston as three-point road favorites on the spread.
Let’s take a closer look at Celtics vs. Cavaliers odds along with some NBA betting tips for Saturday, November 13.
Boston Celtics (-3)
Unsurprisingly, Boston has yet to release an official injury report ahead of tonight’s action after playing late last night. A consequence of not finishing off the Bucks in regulation in yesterday’s affair is that Boston’s plane did not touch down at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport until 1:34 am ET. It is likely that players and coaches were not settled in their hotel rooms until well after 2:00 am ET. Factor in that Jayson Tatum, “(player-popup #robert-williams-iii)Robert Williams III, Marcus Smart, and Dennis Schroder each played 41 minutes or more last night and it becomes easy for bettors to see why the wrong team might be favored in this one.
Another noteworthy piece of information ahead of Saturday’s action is that Boston is allowing the third-most opponent free throw attempts of any team in the NBA through 12 games. On tired legs, in a loud arena on the road, this trend is unlikely to change. If Boston plans to utilize an eight-man rotation on the latter-half of this back-to-back, there could be plenty of opportunities for Cleveland to earn easy points at the charity stripe. The Celtics are also a poor team on the glass, ranking only 19th in rebound percentage. If Boston cannot play defense without fouling tonight, and if they struggle to control the boards—it could be a tough showing for this group tonight against a hungry, young Cavaliers team.
Cleveland Cavaliers (+3)
Since the second departure of LeBron James, there has been little for Cleveland basketball fans to celebrate. However, after another solid draft, and a couple of shrewd off-season transactions, there is high-caliber basketball being played near Lake Erie once again. The Cavs have eight players averaging 9.9 points or more per game this season, though Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, and Kevin Love have both missed time due to injury and health and safety protocols. Darius Garland has been sensational, averaging 16.3 points and 7.2 assists—both of which lead the team. Evan Mobley has been excellent on both ends of the floor, posting 15.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per night.
Entering play tonight, Cleveland has the sixth-best defensive efficiency in the entire NBA, allowing only 104.2 points per 100 possessions. During the month of November, only the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers have a better Net Rating than Cleveland. Part of Cleveland’s success on the defensive end of the floor is attributable to their discipline as a cohesive unit. The Cavaliers are allowing the fewest opponent free throw attempts per game, and are holding their opponents to 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Celtics vs. Cavaliers Pick
The market has been slow to adjust to Cleveland’s early-season success. As a result, we have another mispriced line tonight. Only Evan Mobley and Darius Garland played more than 29 minutes for Cleveland in their win yesterday against the Detroit Pistons. The Cavaliers have superior depth, are more rested, and are the better coached team in this matchup. Bettors should strongly consider a play on the home underdog in this one at plus-money.
PICK: Cavaliers ML (+130)
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