The Boston Celtics are in a familiar position. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they had the higher seed and home court advantage but were still the underdogs. Boston shook off those odds and cruised to a victory over the 76ers in five games. Now they are expected to lose the Eastern Conference Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite continued disrespect from the oddsmakers, the Celtics are only slight underdogs at home in Game 1 as they aim to take an early lead on Cleveland. Even though this is only the first game of the series, it already feels like a pivotal one.
LeBron James and the Cavs are looking tough, and the Celtics need to prove they can go toe-to-toe in NBA basketball gambling.
Game 1 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 3:30 p.m. ET at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The contest will be nationally televised on ABC.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Cavaliers opened up as underdogs in Game 1 but the odds have shifted and now they are 1-point favorites. The money is still pouring in on Cleveland, which is getting more than 77 percent of the action to cover.
The scoring total is listed at 203 points, with the “over” the much more common pick in NBA basketball odds. Cleveland and the Celtics are both listed at -110 on the moneyline, which is a real rarity to see a legitimate pick ‘em. The Cavaliers are getting the majority of the action on this wager as well as the bettors are all in on Cleveland.
Key Stat
5. That’s how many wins in a row the Cavaliers have reeled off in the postseason. The Pacers pushed them to the brink in the first round, but Cleveland was able to win Game 7. The Cavaliers then found a great groove in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, sweeping the top-seeded Toronto Raptors in four games.
Cleveland was actually a slight underdog when its second round series against the Raptors began but it went on the road for the first two games and emerged victorious before returning home and closing out the series.
The Cavaliers were so good in that series that they are now sizable favorites to knock off the Celtics and advance to yet another NBA Finals.
Player To Watch
Jayson Tatum -- The Boston rookie has been fantastic in the playoffs. The absence of point guard Kyrie Irving and small forward Gordon Hayward had many people believing the Celtics would get bounced from the playoffs quickly despite the second-best regular season record among Eastern Conference teams.
However, a host of young players have stepped up, led by Tatum. He is averaging 18.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest. The Cavaliers’ offense has been running on all cylinders lately, and if this game turns into a shootout, Tatum will be the one tasked with keeping the pace for Boston.
Tatum has not been affected by the bright lights yet but the attention on this series will be high, and he needs to keep playing well to give his team a shot.
Free NBA ATS Picks
This contest is a virtual coin flip, as the Celtics have the advantage of the home court while the Cavaliers are the superior team. Cleveland looks like it cannot be stopped. LeBron James is playing at a ridiculous level, and a normally-stout Boston defense won’t have any answers for him.
The Cavaliers are the pick to strike first in this series with a Game 1 win in Boston in NBA basketball wagering.
NBA ATS Pick: Cavaliers 106, Celtics 100
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