The Cleveland Cavaliers (13-10) travel to face off against the Boston Celtics (16-5) on Tuesday, December 12th. This game will be played at TD Garden in TD Garden and televised on NBCS. The Celtics are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cavaliers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Knicks. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.
Cavaliers vs Celtics
The Cavaliers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back from a defeat in their last game, losing to the Magic with a final score of 104-94. The Cavaliers were leading the game going into the second half 54-51.
Coming into today’s game, the Cavaliers are 13-10 overall and will be trying to pull off an upset as +10 point underdogs. When facing off against other Eastern Conference teams, the Cavaliers are 9-5 and have gone 4-5 in non-conference games.
Cleveland comes in with an overall ATS record of 9-13 so far this season. As the favorite this season, Cleveland is 5-9 vs. the spread while going 4-4 as the underdog.
The Celtics Are Coming Off A Win
In their last game, the Celtics defeated the Knicks with a final score of 133-123. The Celtics not only won the game but also covered the spread as -7.5-point favorites. Before the game, the over/under line was 221 points, and both teams ended up surpassing that mark.
Coming into their matchup with the Cavaliers, the Celtics have a 16-5 overall record and are 2-1 in their last three games. When playing on the road this season, the Celtics are 6-5 compared to a 10-0 record at home.
Boston comes in with an overall ATS record of 9-11 so far this season. On the road, the Celtics have an ATS record of 2-8 compared to a 7-3 record vs. the spread at home.
Cavaliers Offense Breakdown
This season, the Cleveland offense is ranked 24th in the NBA in scoring at 110.5 points per game. Coming into today’s game, the Cavaliers will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 11.1 made 3’s per game. If the Cleveland offense is going to turn things around, not only do they need to improve their outside shooting but they must do a better job protecting the ball. Currently, they are averaging 14 turnovers per game.
Celtics Offense Breakdown
Heading into play, the Celtics’ offense is rated 7th in the league in scoring, averaging 117.3 points per contest. The Celtics come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 15.6 made 3’s per game. One thing that could take the team’s offense to the next level is if they can begin to generate more opportunites at the free-throw line. So far, they are averaging just 17.1 made free-throws per game.
Cavaliers Team Defense
The Cavaliers’ defense is presently ranked 7th in the league, allowing an average of 110.3 points per contest.
Cleveland’s defense is currently forcing 14 turnovers per game, which is 22nd in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 17th in blocked shots, with an average of 4.9 rejections per game.
Celtics Team Defense
This season, the Celtics defense has been impressive, holding the 3rd position in the league while permitting an average of 108.8 points per contest.
In the terms of takeaways, Celtics are causing 13.1 turnovers per game, ranking 13th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 9th in rejections, averaging 5.8 blocked shots each game.
Key Players For The Cavaliers And Celtics
Our projections for today’s game indicate that Donovan Mitchell will be the primary scorer for the Cavaliers, with 22 points and going 8/18 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 27.3 points per game, along with 5.7 rebounds.
On the opposing side, we anticipate Jayson Tatum to be the top scorer for the Celtics. Our projection has him finishing the game with 22, and he is expected to secure 7 rebounds. This season, he is shooting at a field goal percentage of 49.6%, and his scoring average is 27.5 points per game.
Cavaliers vs Celtics Trends
- In their last five road games, Cleveland has averaged 109 points per game while allowing 103 . The team’s record in this stretch was 4-1 while going 3-1-1 vs. the spread.
- Through their last five home contests, the Celtics offense has averaged 107 points per game while allowing an average of 112. Boston posted an overall record of 2-3 while going 0-5 ATS.
- As the betting underdog, the Cavaliers have an ATS record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 3-2.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Celtics have a straight up record of 7-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 3-7.
Cavaliers vs Celtics Prediction
When looking to get a point-spread pick down in this Celtics vs. Celtics game, our recommendation is to take the Cavaliers at +10. Despite our model showing the Celtics winning 111-108, we like Cavaliers as our point-spread pick.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 223.5 and our model has the Cavaliers and Celtics finishing with a combined 219 points. Our pick is to take the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:December 13, 2023 Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Teams