Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers showed up in Game 3. Now, they just have to do it again as they try to even the series in Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena.
The Cavs are indeed unpredictable. They are that “hit-or-miss” team that keeps basketball betting fans on the edge of their seats in every match.
However, the Cavs we saw last Sunday are the Cavs at their best. And if they can keep the momentum swinging in their direction, there’s no doubt they can give Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics a good run for their money.
Talking Points
There are two things we learned in Game 3: (1) there’s no way LeBron would be swept in the playoffs, and (2) the Cavs are unbeatable when the rest of the team—or at least the starters—shows up.
Sure, James scored 27 points and had only five rebounds, not even close to the “King” playoff standards that we have seen so far, but it was the effective version of LeBron as his teammates were finally able to hit their shots…particularly from deep. James finished with 12 assists.
Their defence was also pivotal in the victory. Everybody knows that Cleveland are capable of exploding offensively, but it was on their ability to stop shots and make the scorers struggle that most of their fans worry.
For 48 minutes on Sunday, however, the Cavs showed what desperation can do. Facing the possibility of a 0-3 deficit, they transformed into a defensive beast and limited the Celtics to 86 points—this after allowing them to score 108 and 107 in the first two contests.
ICYMI! Eastern Conference Finals Game 3
🏀 Cleveland Cavaliers 116-86 Boston Celtics#AllForOne #CUsRise #NBA pic.twitter.com/Ikh5SF6zIq
— SBOBET (@SBOBET) May 20, 2018
Jaylen Brown, who is a dangerous first-quarter scorer, had only two points in the opening frame before finishing with 10 points. Terry Rozier was limited to 13 points, while Marcus Morris ended with a measly nine points on 25 percent shooting.
It didn’t help the Celts that they made just 16 assists, far from their usual numbers in Game 1 and Game 2 that saw them tally at least 24 dimes.
Now, both teams will undoubtedly go all out in the fourth installment of their budding rivalry with only winning in mind. After all, whoever wins the match would be the favourites to advance.
A win by Cleveland will not only allow them to tie the series, but it will also give them a tremendous boost as they head back to TD Garden. It seems impossible to think that LeBron won’t get a W in Boston especially if the series ends up in seven games, right?
Meanwhile, a Celtics’ win would give Stevens’ men a 3-1 advantage and a clear path to the big dance. They are a strong team at home and are sure to win at least one match at TD Garden where they are yet to lose this postseason.
History
The Celtics’ 30-point defeat to the Cavs revealed a glaring trend: they are a poor team on the road.
While that may sound odd for a squad that boasts a 28-13 record on away games in the regular season—which ranks as the best in the Eastern Conference—their poor form on the road in the postseason can’t be denied.
After losing Game 3, Boston are now 1-5 in six road fixtures in this year’s playoffs. More surprisingly, they have been outscored by 75 points in those six games, losing by an average of 12.5 points.
Of course, if that trend continues, they still have the home-court advantage, right?
Well, it should be noted that the Cavs have won at least two times in their opponents’ home court this postseason. They took down the Indiana Pacers twice at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and won the opening matches at Air Canada Centre in their sweep of the Toronto Raptors in the semi-finals.
Moreover, the Wine and Gold have LeBron, which means they have history on their side. James has won at least one playoff road game in 31 of his last 32 playoff series.
With that said, Boston know they need to win in Cleveland if they want some security that they will move on to the NBA Finals.
What are the odds?
Following their devastating loss, Boston are tipped as heavy underdogs with Asian Handicap odds. The Beantown team is given a +7.00 start at odds of 1.91 to even the playing field, while the Cavs are tipped with a -7.00 handicap at 1.99. These odds on most online bookies suggest that Cleveland are likely to win comfortably.
Meanwhile, Under 206.50 pays at 1.94. While there is a possibility for both teams to explode offensively, these odds still look surprising given that both teams haven’t combined for more than 203 points in a game so far in this series.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
