The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers will begin their second-round series Tuesday, May 7 with Game 1 taking place at the TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics got some time off after taking out the Miami Heat in five games, while the Cavaliers needed the biggest comeback in a Game 7 in NBA history to advance past the Orlando Magic. Here’s a look at how these two teams stack up entering this series and our prediction for how the matchup plays out. All odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Celtics vs. Cavaliers predictions
Odds to win series: Celtics -1200, Cavaliers +800
Regular season record: Celtics 64-18, Cavaliers 48-34
Head-to-head record: Celtics 2-1
Boston should’ve swept the season series if not for a ridiculous comeback by the Cavaliers in the final meeting, specifically from Dean Wade. Wade was out in the first round and is out indefinitely but could return for this round. The Celtics had a stunning loss in Game 2 against Miami but otherwise looked like the best team in the league as their record suggests. The Cavaliers declined late in the regular season to eventually land the No. 4 seed but did navigate through some serious injuries during the year and have showed excellent resilience.
Pick: Celtics in 6 games (+450)
There are a few important injuries to note for both teams heading into this series. Kristaps Porzingis, Boston’s starting big man, is set to miss the entire series as he recovers from a calf strain. Al Horford will likely step up as the starting center in Porzingis’ place. Jarrett Allen missed the final three games of the first round with a ribs injury. The Cavaliers big man is considered day-to-day and could be back for Game 1. That gives Cleveland a bit of an advantage on the interior.
Donovan Mitchell showed out in the final two games against Orlando, combining for 89 points. In Game 6, Mitchell had all of Cleveland’s points in the fourth quarter. That type of offensive gameplan won’t fly against the Celtics, who aren’t experiencing their first playoffs. Boston’s overall rotation is more talented, even if Mitchell might be the best player in this series.
While the oddsmakers like Boston to win in four or five games, I do think the Porzingis injury does hurt the Celtics significantly. If Allen can come back by Game 3, the Cavaliers should be able to take a couple contests at home. Boston is the more rested team and ultimately should win out on talent but I do believe the Cavaliers get three home games in this series.