NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 Pick: Cleveland at Boston
Cavs Attempt to Get Back on Track Against Celts
The Cleveland Cavaliers plays the Boston Celtics in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals. In game one, the Celts blew out the Cavs on Sunday 108-83. In that game, Cleveland was favored by two points. Our Cleveland plays Boston game two NBA playoff pick has the teams even and the over/under at 204.5 (-107). We think this game will be much closer than the first and anticipate a hard-fought contest.
In game one, LeBron James had just 15 points and Kevin Love only 17. James also dished off nine assists. For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 23 points, while Al Horford put in 20. Marcus Morris was good for 21 and 10 assists. PG Terry Rozier notched eight assists. Tonight’s game, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. E.T. at TD Garden, is certainly huge for both teams.
Stats and Facts
Cleveland is scoring on average 101.8 PPG, while Boston has been good for 104.4. On defense, the Celtics have kept teams to 101.0. The Cavs have allowed 102.5 PPG. Cleveland is hitting just 33.7% of their threes, while opponents are completing 35.9% of their threes. On the other hand, Boston is shooting 36% from the arc and giving up just 33%. On defense, the Celtics tend to be tad better than the Cavs.
Players to Watch
James is always a major force in any game, and in one after a loss, he usually likes to take control. Along with averaging more than 32 PPG, he’s been grabbing 9.2 RPG and 9.0 APG. Love, like James, is a major force in the paint, bringing down 9.9 RPG. He’s scoring on average 14.9 PPG. These two guys are the major contributors on this team.
For Boston, SF Jason Tatum and PF Marcus Smart are both major players. Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Terry Rozier are each averaging just over 17 PPG. Horford leads the team in RPG with 8.3. Brown is putting in 42.9% of his threes and 49% from the field. Horford is good on 50% of his shots.
Cleveland Plays Boston Game Two NBA Playoff Pick
Here’s an interesting stat to consider. The Celtics are 8-0 at home in the playoffs. They do have a huge home court advantage. Here’s another to consider- James is averaging 32.7 PPG in the postseason. In the first game, he was off that mark by 17.7 points. Can Boston shutdown James in this game in the same manner they did in the first. If they can do so, they will win handily again. We look for James to do better, but, at the same time, our Cleveland plays Boston game two NBA playoff pic has the Celtics winning at -107. We also like the over.
Summary Cavs at Celts Picks: Boston even at -107 and the over at -107
