The Cleveland Cavaliers finished as only the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, but they have been listed as the favorites to once again advance to the NBA Finals. The faith in LeBron James remains extremely high as the oddsmakers believe he can lift up a team with flaws. The Cavaliers will begin their trek in the first round against a No. 5 seed Indiana Pacers team which will be a sizable underdog.
Even though the teams finished only two games apart in the standings, the Pacers don’t strike much fear in people. The Cavaliers have the home court advantage and the best player in James. They have played better of late heading into the postseason and will be expected to move on to the Eastern Conference semifinals by knocking off Indiana in NBA basketball betting lines.
Game 1 of this NBA Playoff Series will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Cavaliers have been listed as the team to beat in the East, ahead of even the No. 1 seed Toronto Raptors. These two teams could be on a crash course to face off in the second round, but each needs to dispatch their first round opponents.
The Cavs finished the regular season with a record of 50-32 and went just 32-49-1 against the spread. Cleveland went just 13-26-1 against the spread in the regular season and was 19-44-1 attempting to cover as the favorite.
The Pacers went 48-34 straight up and 47-35 against the spread. Indiana covered the spread in 23 of 41 attempts on the road this season. The Pacers covered in half of their 44 games as the underdog in the regular season.
Previous Meetings
The Pacers are 3-1 against the Cavaliers this season, but all those wins came before the major overhaul of Cleveland's’ roster in February so this series could look much different. The Cavs traded Dwyane Wade for a future draft pick and Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson on February 8th in addition to other big moves.
Indiana picked up its first win over Cleveland came on November 1st, winnin 124-107 despite a double-double from James. The Pacers picked up the next two victories against Cleveland as well, winning 106-102 on December 8th and 97-95 on January 12th.
Cleveland won the fourth and final matchup between the two squads on January 26th, 115-108. James had 26 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the victory.
Player To Watch
Victor Oladipo -- James is the unquestioned best player on the court, but the Pacers could have a chance if their burgeoning star has a big series. Oladipo has taken a huge step forward this year in his first season with the Pacers.
The former Oklahoma City forward averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in the regular season. He was also an impact defender, leading the NBA in steals per game with 2.36.
Oladipo shot 47.7 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range, and the Cavs will need to keep a close eye on him. Oladipo doesn’t have the same name recognition as many other players in this series but he is the key to Indiana’s hopes.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Everyone is expecting the Cavaliers to turn it on in the playoffs. They should win this series, but don’t expect it to be easy. The Pacers might not have the same name recognition as Cleveland but should play well, particularly at home, to give the Cavaliers a scare.
Take Cleveland to come away with a nail-biting seven-game series win to move on to the second round. Don’t be shy to jump on the Pacers to cover the spread in the majority of these games in NBA basketball odds.
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