It’ll be hard to recognize the Cleveland Cavaliers when they take the floor on Sunday after their roster overhaul at the trade deadline. It was apparent that what they had wasn’t working and wasn’t going to change anytime soon, and in an effort to save their season the Cavs swapped out their entire backcourt in order for another run at the Finals. They’ll have to get by the Boston Celtics to get there, though, as the Cs continue to hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
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Odds Analysis
Not only were the Cavaliers a wreck on the court the last month and a half, they were also a money pit at the betting window. The slide started with a Christmas Day loss to the Warriors and they went 6-13 SU and 3-16 ATS in their next 19 contests. The bleeding was stopped temporarily with a win over the Timberwolves on Wednesday when the Cavs won outright as 3.5-point dog.
It’s been a different story at the betting window for the Celtics, who are the most profitable team in the league at 34-20-2 ATS. They stumbled a bit recently, losing four straight and five of six to make things tighter in the East, but the Cs got back in the saddle by winning five of six games to cancel out their recent dry spell. The loss was a big one, falling to the Raptors to drop into a tie with Toronto in the loss column.
Key Stat
It’s not really a stat rather a number. And that number is four, as in the new players joining the Cavs roster following the trade deadline. It was evident a move, or several, needed to be made and Koby Altman shook up his team with a flurry of deals.
Cleveland got younger, more athletic, and a locker room adjustment by jettisoning their loathsome veterans who were part of the problem. The Cavs lost the Kyrie Irving deal with Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder traded away. But the haul will change how the Cavs look and, more importantly, how they play.
The backcourt will now be in the hands of George Hill, Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood with Larry Nance, when healthy, giving the Cavs an athletic big man who can shoot and complement LeBron. The only problem is that it will take time for the new pieces come together, and in the meantime the Cavs might struggle.
Last Meeting
The Cavs are still the kings of the East until someone knocks them off. The Celtics could be that team after bowing out in last season’s conference final. Holding down the East’s No. 1 seed for most of the season, the Cs needed to get by Cleveland to validate their development.
They did just that when the teams met in Beantown early last month. Boston rolled to a 102-88 victory, silencing LeBron and the rest of the Cavs offense and taking advantage of a team that was just beginning its descent. Four Cavs who played in that game and two that didn’t are no longer with the club after the deadline purge, and playing against the best team in the East with what is a new roster will be a difficult chore.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The line is going to be larger than it probably should be considering the revamped roster the Cavs will bring to Boston. They still have the King and he’s ecstatic over the changes. Cleveland was reeling with what it had and changes were necessary. The team addressed that and made some serious upgrades.
It’s hard to say if the Cavs are a better team, but the consensus is that they are. They unloaded some disinterested players and got some youth and vigor. It will translate in the win/loss column, but it will take some time for the team to jell. And because of that, and playing on the road against a stable team, the Cavs won’t have enough to overcome the Celtics.
NBA Odds: Celtics 110, Cavaliers 102
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