The Boston Celtics were the class of the NBA this season, racking up a 42-game turnaround from the 2006-07 season. After a tough first-round series, the Celtics will try to get back on track when they host Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Banknorth Garden in Tuesday's NBA playoff action. BetOnline.com has the Boston Celtics –9.5 point favorites against the Cleveland Cavaliers with the over/under set at 182 points.
The Cavaliers took some hard knocks from the Washington Wizards, but Cleveland managed to eliminate their rivals in the first round for the third consecutive season. LeBron James led the league in scoring during the regular season, and he received the hardest fouls from the Wizards. But James never lost his poise, and racked up 29.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.7 assists over the six-game series. Outside shooting was a major boost for the Cavaliers as well, as they shot 38.2% from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers will have to continue their hot shooting as this keeps defenses from piling the pressure on James, who is an excellent passer and will find the open man.
The Celtics were taken to seven games by a pesky Atlanta squad, but homecourt advantage paid off as Boston beat the Hawks by an average of 25.2 points in their four games at home. Kevin Garnett led the way with 21.0 points and 8.9 rebounds, and “KG” was instrumental in keeping the Celtics focused. Like the Cavaliers, the Celtics were also deadly with their long-range shooting, as they were an identical 38.2% behind the three-point line.
The Celtics and Cavaliers each won two of their four meetings during the regular season, and homecourt could be even more important in the postseason as the home team was victorious in each of those four games. The Celtics were the NBA's best team on the road this season, so it is difficult to believe that they will have the same struggles away from home against the Cavaliers. But Cleveland are very good at home, and in James, they have one of the few players who can win a game by himself. The Celtics are -600 favorites to take the first game at home, while they are -900 to win the series. The Boston crowd will be ready to support their team, and they should be the difference as the Celtics will take the first game of what will be a long and intense series. Get your Free NBA Prediction in Now!
Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics – 8:00 PM ET
Free NBA Prediction: Boston Celtics
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