- Two of the top teams in the East square off on Tuesday when the Boston Celtics visit the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Boston is riding an NBA-best 11-game win streak while Cleveland is missing Donovan Mitchell
- See the Celtics vs Cavaliers odds, player props, and predictions for March 5
What was supposed to be a heavyweight title between the Boston Celtics (48-12, 19-9 away, 30-27-3 ATS) and Cleveland Cavaliers (39-21, 20-11 home, 29-29-2 ATS) on Tuesday night has lost a bit of its luster as Cavs leading scorer Donovan Mitchell is sidelined with a knee injury.
Sans Mitchell, Cleveland looked like a shell of itself in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks, and oddsmakers took notice: Boston is listed as huge eight-point road favorites in the Celtics vs Cavaliers odds for Tuesday’s game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (7:40 pm ET).
Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | -8 (-110) | -320 | Over 215.5 (-110) |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +8 (-110) | +260 | Under 215.5 (-110) |
Boston is also a -320 favorite on the moneyline in Tuesday’s NBA odds with the Cavs coming back at +260 to pull of the upset at home. The game total of 215.5 is the second-lowest on the board among Tuesday’s nine games. (Orlando vs Charlotte is sitting at just 207.5.)
Odds as of March 5 at FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app in North Carolina.
Boston is currently nine games ahead of Milwaukee for the top seed in the East in the NBA playoff bracket. Cleveland is the #3 seed, 3.5 games ahead of #4 New York and one back of the Bucks.
Cavaliers Offense in Shambles Without Mitchell
While Cleveland is still a game over .500 without Mitchell (28.0 PPG, 6.2 APG, 5.4 RPG) in the lineup this season (7-6), they are only 1-3 without him in the calendar year 2024 and their lone win came over the Detroit Pistons.
On Feb. 22, they fell by seven at home to Orlando (116-109); the next night, they lost by seven on the road to Philadelphia (104-97); and on Sunday, they fell by nine at home to the Knicks (107-98).
With Caris LeVert (14.1 PPG, 4.7 APG) also out of the lineup, seldom-used Sam Merrill (8.1 PPG) led the team in scoring with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from three.
At the best of times, Cleveland is a defense-first team with a mediocre offense (15th in O-Rating). With Mitchell sidelined, their problems at that end of the floor are exponentially compounded.
LeVert (elbow) is questionable to return tonight, but Max Strus (12.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.8 APG) is out with a knee strain and Isaac Okoro (9.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG) is questionable due to a sprained elbow.
Celtics Keep Humming
Boston extended its win streak on Sunday with its most-dominant performance of the season: a 140-88 rout of Golden State at TD Garden. The 52-point margin of victory was the third-largest in the long history of the franchise.
All-Stars Jayson Tatum (27 points, five assists) and Jaylen Brown (29 points, three assists) nearly hit 30 points while playing just 25 and 22 minutes, respectively. As a team, Boston shot 55.2% from the field and an outrageous 51% from three on 49 attempts.
Their defense was just as good, limiting the Warriors to 39.1% from the field and just 17.1% from beyond the arc (7-of-41).
The C’s were already first in the NBA in Offensive Rating before the demolition of the Warriors. At 121.7, they are now 1.6 points clear of second-ranked Indiana. Their D-Rating, meanwhile, improved to 110.2, which is second only to Minnesota (108).
Boston’s Net Rating (+11.6) is a full four points better than any other team in the league. OKC is second at +7.6. The gap between the Celtics and Thunder is bigger than the gap between the Thunder and the ninth-ranked Knicks (+4.0).
BOS vs CLE Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three-Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Garland (CLE) | 21.5 (Ov -135 | Un +105) | 2.5 (Ov -135 | Un +105) | 6.5 (Ov -140 | Un +110) | 3.5 (Ov +135 | Un -175) |
| Evan Mobley (CLE) | 15.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 9.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 3.5 (Ov -100 | Un -130) | 0.5 (Ov +175 | Un -230) |
| Jarrett Allen (CLE) | 16.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 10.5 (Ov -130 | Un -100) | 2.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | OFF |
| Jaylen Brown (BOS) | 21.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 5.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | 2.5 (Ov -160 | Un +124) | 1.5 (Ov -145 | Un +114) |
| Jayson Tatum (BOS) | 28.5 (Ov -110 | Un -120) | 8.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 4.5 (Ov -150 | Un +120) | 3.5 (Ov +120 | Un -150) |
| Kristaps Porzingis (BOS) | 18.5 (Ov -135 | Un +105) | 6.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) |
Player props as of March 5 at DraftKings. See the latest on the DraftKings North Carolina promo ahead of launch on March 11.
With Mitchell out of the lineup, Darius Garland, the team’s second-leading scorer at 18.4 PPG, has a team-high point total of 21.5. Tatum is listed with the highest total for the C’s at 28.5 along with a game-high over/under on triples at 3.5.
Celtics vs Cavaliers Prediction
Cleveland’s offense has been an unmitigated disaster for the better part of the last two weeks. Now Strus and possibly Okoro are joining Mitchell in street clothes while the remaining skeleton crew has to face the league’s second-best defense.
I expect coach JB Bickerstaff to attempt to make this a slow, methodical, low-possession game, relying on Cleveland’s third-ranked defense to try to keep it close.
BOS vs CLE pick: Under 215.5 (-110)
Sascha Paruk’s 2023-24 NBA betting record:
- 17-21 moneyline (+4.06 units)
- 17-17-2 ATS (-0.41 units)
- 7-12 player props (-6.82 units)
- 0-3 same-game parlay (-3.00 units)
All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise
The Boston Celtics are set to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 5th in what is sure to be an exciting matchup between two Eastern Conference rivals. Both teams are coming off strong performances in recent games, making this game a must-watch for basketball fans.
As of now, the odds for the game are favoring the Boston Celtics, with many sportsbooks giving them a slight edge over the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, with the unpredictability of the NBA, anything can happen on game day.
In terms of predictions, it’s difficult to say which team will come out on top. The Celtics have been playing well as of late, with Jayson Tatum leading the charge for the team. On the other hand, the Cavaliers have been surprising many with their strong play this season, led by Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
When it comes to player props, there are a few key players to keep an eye on. Jayson Tatum is always a threat to score big points for the Celtics, so look for him to have a strong performance in this game. Collin Sexton has been a scoring machine for the Cavaliers, so he will likely be a key player to watch as well.
Overall, this game has the potential to be a close and competitive matchup between two talented teams. Fans can expect to see some high-level basketball and exciting plays from both sides. Be sure to tune in on March 5th to see which team comes out on top in this highly anticipated game between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
