Cleveland (32-22) at Boston (40-17)
When: Sunday, February 11th 2018
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Time: 3:35 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Boston -3/213.5
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The Boston Celtics are in a tight battle with the Toronto Raptors for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and they will try and get back on track when they host the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon on ABC. The Celtics have a big celebration planned as they will retire the great Paul Pierce’s number. Boston has dropped two of three with the lone win coming in an overtime effort at Washington, but are coming off a 97-91 loss to Indiana in the opener of a three-game homestand. The Cavaliers are expected to debut their four newcomers when they visit TD Garden on Sunday. Playing without newly acquired players George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood, the Cavaliers rolled to a 123-107 win at lowly Atlanta on Friday. LeBron James recorded his 10th triple-double of the season with 22 points, a career-high 19 assists and 12 rebounds. The rout of the Hawks gave Cleveland consecutive victories for the first time since the middle of December and it will try and keep it going on Sunday. The teams split two earlier meetings, with Terry Rozier scoring 20 points to lead Boston to a 102-88 home win last month.
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Shooting guard Kyle Korver played like a man with new life on Friday, as the former Atlanta Hawk survived the trade deadline and scored a season-high 30 points at Atlanta. Korver has drained 11-for-19 from 3-point range during the team’s two-game winning streak and matched a season-high with 32 minutes played but will cede some of his playing time to the newcomers, particularly Hood, who averaged 16.8 points while shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc in 39 games with Utah. Center Tristan Thompson is averaging 13 points on 18-of-25 shooting over his last three games – more than double his season average. Cleveland will be at Oklahoma City on Tuesday before entering the All-Star Break.
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Boston, who are only percentage points behind the Raptors, were held to 98 points or fewer in regulation in each of its last four games and it shot 38.2% from the field in Friday’s loss to visiting Indiana. Former Cavalier Kyrie Irving led the way with 21 points while Rozier, who filled in when Irving was sidelined recently with a quad injury, shot just 1-for-11 off the bench. Power forward Al Horford, who is shooting a career-best 43.9% from long range, 5-for-5 from 3-point range over his last three home games. Boston will host the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday to end the homestand and first half of the season.
There’s no way I can take Cleveland right after acquiring all of these new players. It will take them time to start working well together and they really didn’t address much on defense – which is still terrible. I like Boston here.
Pick: Celtics -4.5
- Cavaliers are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 Sunday games.
- Cavaliers are 15-36-1 ATS in their last 52 games overall.
- Cavaliers are 5-13 ATS in their last 18 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS win.
- Cavaliers are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Cavaliers are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Cavaliers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Cavaliers are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up win.
- Cavaliers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Cavaliers are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 road games.
- Cavaliers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Cavaliers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Cavaliers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Celtics are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Celtics are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
- Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Celtics are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up loss.
- Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Sunday games.
- Celtics are 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a ATS loss.
- Celtics are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Cavaliers last 9 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Over is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Cavaliers last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 6-2 in Cavaliers last 8 road games.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Cavaliers last 9 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 8-3 in Cavaliers last 11 Sunday games.
- Over is 40-19-1 in Cavaliers last 60 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 Sunday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 home games.
- Under is 5-2 in Celtics last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Celtics last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Over is 30-13-1 in Celtics last 44 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Boston.
- Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Boston.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Road team is 13-3-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings.
