Cavaliers vs Celtics Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets: Will Boston Cruise Past Cleveland in the Opener?

In the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics passed a major test by seeing off the shorthanded Miami Heat in five games. Next up is a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which starts tonight at TD Garden (7:00 pm ET, TNT).

While the Heat were without Jimmy Butler for the entire series, they managed to take Game 2 in Boston. With the series heading to Miami, there were concerns that the Celtics could suffer more playoff disappointment at the hands of the Heat.

Instead, Boston won each of the last three games convincingly, including a 118-84 victory to close out the series at TD Garden last Wednesday.

That sets up a showdown with the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who were taken to the maximum by the fifth-seeded Orlando Magic. With a 106-94 win in Game 7 on Sunday, the Cavs moved on to the second round of the playoffs without LeBron James for the first time since 1993.

• What are the best spread and player prop bets for Cavaliers vs Celtics Game 1? Read on.
• Find out why Boston is the best bet for tonight’s matchup at TD Garden.
• Learn about where to make Cavaliers vs Celtics bets and bet on other NBA playoff games over the coming weeks.

The series between the Cavaliers and Magic saw the home team win every game, with five of the seven games decided by double digits.

Will things follow the same trend tonight?

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on tonight’s battle in Boston.

Spread

• Cleveland Cavaliers +12.5 (-110)
• Boston Celtics -12.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 211.5 (-110)
• Under 211.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Cleveland Cavaliers +575
• Boston Celtics -775

Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Betting Analysis

In the regular season, Boston won two of three meetings with Cleveland, though the Cavaliers covered the spread twice.

Cavaliers vs Celtics Head-to-Head Results (2023-24 Regular Season)

• December 12 (Boston): Celtics 120-113 (ATS: Cavaliers +11)
• December 14 (Boston): Celtics 116-107 (ATS: Celtics -8.5)
• March 5 (Cleveland): Cavaliers 105-104 (ATS: Cavaliers +8.5

The numbers for the season point in the direction of the Celtics making it three wins in four meetings and likely covering while doing so.

After losing and failing to cover in their three games in Orlando in the first round, Cleveland is 8-16 SU and 10-14 ATS as a road underdog this season.

After winning and covering in two of three home games against Miami, Boston is 39-5 SU and 24-18-2 ATS as a home favorite this season.

Of the 17 teams who have been favored at home 30 or more times this season, the Celtics (57.1%) have the third-best cover percentage, with only the Thunder (24-13, 64.9%) and 76ers (22-14, 61.1%) better in that area.

Was Boston’s Game 2 loss to Miami a welcome wakeup call? They have a tendency to make things harder than they should, but after losing their homecourt advantage, they righted the ship, refocused, and blew the Heat away in the final three games to move on.

There’s still reason to approach the Celtics with caution, but take that performance against the Heat as a positive sign.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics Prediction & Best Bets

Cavaliers vs Celtics Prediction: Celtics to win

Cavaliers vs Celtics Best Bets: 1) Celtics -12.5, 2) Cavaliers/Celtics first half over 108, 3) Donovan Mitchell over 27.5 points (-120 at Bovada)

Other NBA Playoffs Betting Information

Where to Bet on 76ers vs Knicks and the NBA Playoffs

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds 00the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Looking to make some player prop picks for today’s game in Cleveland? Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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