NBA Odds: Celtics, Cavaliers Facing Off In Important Clash Wednesday
The Boston Celtics will look to regain sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with a third straight win when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Boston returns home following Sunday?s 110-94 win over the New York Knicks as 7 1/2-point betting favorites that lifted the club to 9-2 straight up over its past 11 games ahead of Wednesday night?s Cavaliers vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.
The Celtics have been strong on home hardwood, winning SU in 15 of their past 17 games at TD Garden. Boston has cracked 110 points on nine occasions during that stretch, and the over has prevailed for totals bettors on the NBA odds in five of the past seven.
However, Boston remains a disappointing home team at the sportsbooks, failing to cover in four straight, including last week?s narrow 117-116 win over the Orlando Magic as 10 1/2-point chalk, and is just 5-10 against the spread in its past 15.
The Cavaliers arrive in town after surviving an early scare in their date with the Magic on Tuesday. The defending champions responded after trailing by two points at the half to pound Orlando 122-102 as 11-point home favorites.
The win gives Cleveland its first three-game winning streak since February and moves it alongside the Celtics atop the Eastern Conference standings. But with each of their three recent wins coming at home, the Cavaliers have yet to overcome a brutal stretch on the road, with just three SU wins in their past 11 games.
Cleveland averaged just 83.5 points over two road games last week, falling 99-93 to the Chicago Bulls as 5 1/2-point chalk after a tough 103-74 loss to the San Antonio Spurs as five-point underdogs.
The Celtics ended a three-game slide against Cleveland with a 103-99 win as 1 1/2-point home favorites on March 1, but have not tallied consecutive victories over the Cavaliers since April 2015, going 2-8 SU in their past 10 meetings including a first-round playoff series loss to Cleveland that spring.
Following Wednesday night?s contest, the Celtics hit the road for a pair of games, visiting the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday followed by a date with the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
The road team has prevailed in two meetings this season with the Hawks. The Celtics claimed a 103-101 win in Atlanta as four-point underdogs on Jan. 13, but the C’s were outpaced 114-98 by the Hawks in Boston as four-point favorites on Feb. 27 to fall to 3-8 SU in their past 11 matchups, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
With SU and ATS wins in seven of 10, the Hornets are making a late drive for a playoff spot in the East, but have dropped seven of eight to the Celtics, including four straight at home.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports Images
