Boston (2-1) at Cleveland (1-2)
When: Monday, May 21st 2018
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland
Time: 8:35 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Cleveland -6.5/206.5
The Boston Celtics have been a completely different team this postseason when playing away from TD Garden, dropping to 1-5 after getting steamrolled 116-86 at Cleveland Saturday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston improved to 9-0 at home by winning the first two games of their best-of-seven series with the Cavaliers, but couldn’t find their shot on Saturday, while Cleveland’s roll players really stepped up to support LeBron James in the victory. With James recording 27 points and 12 assists, Cleveland built a 19-point lead in the first quarter, pushed it to 30 in the second half and overpowered the Celtics. “The toughest team sets the rules,” Boston point guard Terry Rozier told reporters. “They came out aggressive from the jump and never looked back. We’ve got to play aggressive from the tip. Tonight, we were all over the place, playing too fast and doing things we didn’t want to do.” Kyle Korver made four of the Cavaliers’ 17 3-pointers and Cleveland had six players score in double-figures. Jaylen Brown was in foul trouble all night and scored just 10 points for the Celtics after averaging 23 in the first two games. The Celtics were shaky early, committing four turnovers and shooting 2-of-10 from the floor as Cleveland opened a 27-11 lead. Boston has never lost a series (37-0) when leading 2-0, but the Cavaliers have come back from an 0-2 deficit in 2007 and 2016 – just 19 of a possible 300 teams have ever done that.
Boston also tied a playoff low with 16 assists while getting outrebounded 45-34 and will need a better effort on Monday. Brown is averaging 11.3 points on 42.3% shooting in the past three road games – compared to 23.3 on 59.6% in the past three at home – and had one assist and three turnovers in Game 3. Jaylen Brown (18) and Rozier (13) were the only other double-digit scorers in Game 3 for a Boston team that has six players averaging 10.2 or more points per game this postseason.
Starting guards George Hill and J.R. Smith combined to make six 3-pointers and score 24 points Saturday after they were outscored 41-3 in Game 2 by Boston’s starting backcourt. Defensively, center Tristan Thompson was big stifling Celtics big man Al Horford, who was limited to seven points in Game 3 – his first single-digit showing since March 20th. Power forward Larry Nance Jr. had eight points on 4-of-4 shooting to go along with six rebounds, three assists and three steals in Game 3 after a pair of scoreless outings in Boston.
As long as the rest of the Cleveland roster supports James like they did in Game 3, this could be a series. The home court advantage appears to be real in this series. Boston has been pretty bad away from home this postseason, and I think it continues again on Monday. They are still a young team that seems to be flustered with the road environment. Lay the points.
Celtics Stepped-Up, Got Stepped-On | Where is the Smart Money?
Pick: Cavaliers -6.5
- Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Celtics are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. NBA Central.
- Celtics are 24-9-1 ATS in their last 34 games following a ATS loss.
- Celtics are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up loss.
- Celtics are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Celtics are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Celtics are 25-10 ATS in their last 35 games overall.
- Celtics are 50-22-2 ATS in their last 74 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Celtics are 35-17-1 ATS in their last 53 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Celtics are 35-17-1 ATS in their last 53 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Celtics are 39-19-2 ATS in their last 60 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Celtics are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Celtics are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games.
- Celtics are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Monday games.
- Cavaliers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Cavaliers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Cavaliers are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Cavaliers are 16-35-1 ATS in their last 52 home games.
- Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Cavaliers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 road games.
- Under is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 13-2-1 in Celtics last 16 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 6-1 in Celtics last 7 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 vs. NBA Central.
- Over is 14-3 in Celtics last 17 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 Conference Finals games.
- Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 9-3 in Celtics last 12 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-4 in Celtics last 15 Monday games.
- Over is 8-3 in Celtics last 11 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-0 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Under is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 Conference Finals games.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 10-3 in Cavaliers last 13 home games.
- Under is 6-2 in Cavaliers last 8 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Cavaliers last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
- Celtics are 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Cleveland.
- Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
