The NBA schedule makers must have some incredible foresight. The opening night matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics was already sure to be one of the most heated games on the slate due to a burgeoning rivalry between Cleveland and Boston. However, this meeting got a lot more spicy in the offseason when these two teams decided to swap franchise cornerstones. Cleveland sent Kyrie Irving to Boston in exchange for Isaiah Thomas after Irving publicly demanded a trade. Irving has been throwing shade at Cleveland these last few months and his return home should be saucy.
Don’t miss the hardwood action from Quicken Loans Arena at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT. We’ll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Tuesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Boston has looked solid this preseason. The Celtics went undefeated in the preseason, knocking off the ornets twice and the 76ers twice, and looked like they had a real flow to their game. New additions Gordon Hayward and Irving blended in well with the other young talent on this team and they might just be the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers are a veteran team and they just coasted through the preseason. Cleveland went 1-4, with its only win coming against Orlando in its last tune-up before this game. The Cavs may have lost Irving in the offseason, but still have the best player in the league and are looking to again win the East.
Player to Watch
It should be fascinating to see how Cleveland handles the return of Irving. Irving has trash talked the city ever since his trade, and has stated that his former home is not a real sports city. The Cavaliers fans will likely take those remarks to heart and boo Irving every time he touches the ball.
There’s no denying that Irving is one of the best players in the league and he immediately makes Boston a real threat in the East. Irving might just be the best guard in the East, and should thrive now that he has the ball in his hands more. He showed that he can take over games in the playoffs, and is a volume scorer. Irving isn’t inefficient by any stretch, but would get frozen out by LeBron James and lose his effectiveness.
Matchup to Watch
What will LeBron James do against this Celtics defense? He was phenomenal against Boston last season, hitting 54.2 percent of his shots from the floor against the boys from Beantown. The Celtics are great at shutting down most scorers and have consistently been one of the NBA’s best defenses under Brad Stevens. However, James has his way with them every time they play.
It’s hard to blame the Celtics for being unable to stop LeBron, no team can consistently. The two things they can do though is try to force him to the perimeter as much as possible and make other guys knock down shots. James was unable to hit threes last season, and now that Irving is gone, there are questions about who will be able to get buckets for the Cavs.
Free NBA ATS Picks
It’s not just Irving that is now competing against former teammates. Thomas and Jae Crowder will see their old Boston buddies for the first time since the trade. Thomas won’t be able to take the court yet due to a lingering hip injury that he suffered in the postseason last year, but Crowder should see plenty of action.
An ankle injury has sidelined LeBron for quite a bit of the preseason, but he is supposed to be ready to play here. However, LeBron is getting older and although he takes great care of his body, it’s worth watching how he looks on the injured ankle.
This feels like a good time to grab the Cavaliers. LeBron will want to make a statement that Cleveland is still the team to beat, and he will likely play big minutes in spite of the ankle injury.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers 102 – Celtics 93
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