The Boston Celtics have looked like the second-best team in the Eastern Conference for the last few months. Now they will get a shot to test themselves against the favorite, although one key figure could be missing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
LeBron James’ illness puts his availability in question for this one, which will obviously affect the spread greatly. The Celtics are at home, so if James doesn’t play Boston figures to be the favorite.
However, if James is able to get on the court, it likely makes Cleveland the team to beat. There is no player in the NBA who can shift a spread as much as LeBron, so keep an eye on his health continually heading into this one.
No matter who takes the court, the Celtics hope to pick up a key win in order to pull closer to the Cavs atop the Eastern Conference.
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Odds Analysis
The Celtics are 37-21 straight up and 30-27-1 against the spread. They have not been very good at home, covering in only 11 of 28 attempts thus far. Boston is 9-8-1 against the spread as the underdog and has covered in 21 of 40 tries as the favorite.
The Cavaliers are 40-17 straight up and 27-28-2 against the spread. They have played in 26 road games on the season and have covered in only 11 of them. Cleveland is 25-23-2 against the spread as the favorite. The Cavaliers have rarely been the underdog, covering in two of seven attempts.
Injury Report
James missed Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls and could miss more time with strep throat. The Cavaliers superstar is averaging 25.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game right now so his absence is always a game-changer.
In his latest appearance against the New York Knicks, James finished with a triple-double, accumulating 18 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds. He also had 31 points against the Pacers and has finished with 30 points or more in the games in February.
Without James, the Cavs scored just 99 points in the loss to Chicago last weekend. The team will look to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to carry the load if James is still not healthy enough to pay against the Celtics.
It’s uncertain exactly how long his ailment will last, as it is harder to diagnose then something like a sprained ankle. It seems unlikely James plays in this one, but that should be more clear in the coming days.
Last Meeting
The Cavaliers have defeated the Celtics twice already this season. The first time the two teams faced off on November 3rd, the Cavs won 128-122 and in their latest meeting on December 29th, they beat the Celtics 124-118.
Irving and Love led the Cavaliers, both managing double-doubles. Love finished with 30 points and 15 rebounds while Irving managed a double-double with 32 points and 12 assists.
The Cavaliers had a slight lead at halftime and fended off a strong fourth quarter by the Celtics. Isaiah Thomas finished as Boston’s leading scorer with 31 points.
Free NBA ATS Pick
While the Cavaliers are the better team, the Celtics have played well of late and get this one at home. If James plays, the Celtics will still feel confident that they will have a shot. Isaiah Thomas has had a phenomenal season and Boston is the clear No. 2 team in the East right now.
This one is hard to judge until James’ status is resolved, but if he sits, the Celtics should be able to pull out the win.
NBA Odds: Celtics 107, Cavaliers 104
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