Update: Brown and Porzingis are both in for the Celtics, who are now 9-point favorites. The total comes in at 216.5. I still like Boston to cover with every starter in, and I still like the over on the total.
The Boston Celtics (48-12) will look to continue their winning ways when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers (39-21) Tuesday evening. The Celtics have rattled off 11 victories in a row and are coming off a dominant 52-point win over the Warriors Sunday, while the Cavaliers lost to the Knicks later that same day. These teams have met twice before this season with Boston winning both matchups.
Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis have both been listed as questionable for the Celtics. The latter didn’t play in Sunday’s game and is more likely to sit. Donovan Mitchell is out for the Cavaliers and will miss the next three games with a knee issue. Max Strus is out with a knee strain, while Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro are both questionable.
The Celtics are 8-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook and the total comes in at 215.5. Boston is -345 on the moneyline while Cleveland is +275.
Celtics vs. Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Celtics -8
Boston has covered in every game since the All-Star break, and only one of those spreads has been under Tuesday’s line. The Cavaliers aren’t that great at home with a 13-16-1 ATS mark and will be without their best player in Mitchell. Even if Brown and Porzingis are limited or sit out, the Celtics still have more talent than the Cavaliers. I think Boston is the play here given how the team is rolling at the moment.
Over/Under: Over 215.5
Both previous meetings, which came within a span of three days, went over this line. Despite Mitchell being out and the Celtics potentially resting two starters, there’s still a lot of firepower on Boston’s roster. The bench players have gotten a boost from Sunday’s win, and Cleveland’s secondary players have shown they can put up points too. Cleveland is 3-4 to the over since the break, while Boston is 2-3. I like the over to hit on what is a relatively low number.