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The NBA season continues on Wednesday. The Cleveland Cavaliers will hit the road and take on the Boston Celtics. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Cavaliers-Celtics prediction and pick.
These two teams have had different seasons. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 19-12 and have won their last six games played, though their last scheduled game was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are 15-16 and are coming off a narrow loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, and they're dealing with their own COVID issues.
Here are the odds for the Cavaliers-Celtics Wednesday night NBA matchup, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers-Celtics Odds
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Cleveland Cavaliers: +6 (-110)
Boston Celtics: -6 (-110)
Over: 216.5 (-110)
Under: 216.5 (-110)
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread
The Cavaliers have been a Cinderella story this season. Most people thought this would be yet another rebuilding year, however, Cleveland has proven to be a very competitive team and even a dominant one at times. The Cavaliers have beaten some very tough opponents as well, dealing with one of the most difficult schedules in the NBA so far yet still boasting an elite defense and the best average point differential in the Eastern Conference. They're coming off a dominant 29-point victory over the Giannis-less Bucks and have been a boon for bettors this season. However, this brings us to arguably the most important aspect of this match: the impact of COVID and injuries.
COVID has been circulating the league, and Cleveland has been hit especially hard of late. The Cavs have nearly double-digit players currently in the league's health and safety protocols. Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and Isaac Okoro are among the impacted players. Losing those guys could easily bring this Cavs team to a screeching halt. While the Cavs still have Darius Garland, Ricky Rubio, Lauri Markkanen, and Cedi Osman, missing Allen, Mobley, and Okoro could cause Cleveland to go on a downward spiral. The Cavs will really need everyone to step up if they want to win this game, but they have shown resilience so far this season.
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
The Celtics are having a disappointing season with their 15-16 record, with the latest loss to the Sixers a tough one as Joel Embiid took over in the fourth quarter. Boston will have a chance to turn things around on Wednesday against a crippled Cleveland team. If the Celtics can improve on their last game and come into Wednesday ready, they should have no problem getting the win.
Boston played Philly tough in the last game and was in position to win heading into the fourth quarter. The game was close down the stretch before Embiid delivered the daggers, with the Celtics just not making enough plays to win. Still, the fact that Boston was so close to winning despite the starting frontcourt of Al Horford and Robert Williams III missing the game was a good sign.
The Celtics will be impacted by COVID as well in this game against Cleveland, but their two best players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will suit up. That duo should be enough to take care of business at home. If Tatum and Brown come in ready to dominate, they should have no problem doing so.
Final Cavaliers-Celtics Prediction & Pick
This is a very easy pick. Under normal circumstances, this would have been a very good game. But due to COVID, it should be a lopsided affair. The Celtics should dominate the Cavaliers on Wednesday. Pick Boston to win and cover and get ready for a potential blowout.
FINAL CAVALIERS-CELTICS PICK: Boston Celtics -6 (-108)
FINAL CAVALIERS-CELTICS SCORE PREDICTION: Celtics 112 – Cavaliers 95
