The Boston Celtics (16-3) and Cleveland Cavaliers (17-3) will meet in the NBA this evening. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Celtics are 1-point favorites over the Cavaliers on the spread (Celtics -1), with the over/under set at 232.5 total points. Boston is a -115 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Cleveland is -105 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Celtics vs. Cavaliers predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, December 1.
Celtics vs. Cavaliers Prediction, Pick
Spread
The spread for this game is Boston -1.5, and they are playing in Cleveland. This is very telling for how the NBA oddsmakers are viewing the top of the Eastern Conference.
For Boston to be favored in Cleveland, that makes them a -6.5 or -7 point favorite at home, and clearly still the cream of the crop in the East.
Cleveland is still in first place in the East, but it is only a half-game difference. The winner of this contest will hold first place in the Eastern Conference tomorrow night. I have no plays on the spread, unless you want to try your hand with a same game parlay.
Moneyline
The moneyline for this game is Boston -120 and Cleveland +100. If we compare spreads and moneyline values, moving on or off a spread of -1 is worth about 5-6 cents.
For that reason, it is definitely better to play Boston -1 opposed to Boston -125, because the moneyline should be at -115 to make it valuable.
On the Cavs side, +105 offers a nice boost instead of the -110 on the +1. Take the ML on the dog or the favorite to cover the spread, depending on who you like.
Over/Under
My Cavaliers vs. Celtics best bet is on the under at a total of 234.5, but always make sure to shop for the best line with our live NBA odds page.
Last time these teams met the game landed 237, which included a barrage of 3-pointers.
We can still expect high level of shooting between these two teams, however it is an earlier start time, 6 p.m. instead of a typical week night matchup, and earlier start times generally correlate with unders.
My Pick: Under 232.5
Celtics vs. Cavaliers Odds, Point Spread, Total, Lines
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -110 | 232.5 -110 / -110 | -115 |
| Cavaliers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -110 | 232.5 -110 / -110 | -105 |
- Celtics vs Cavaliers spread: Celtics -1
- Celtics vs Cavaliers over/under: 232.5 points
- Celtics vs Cavaliers moneyline: Celtics -115, Cavaliers -105
- Celtics vs Cavaliers best bet: Under 232.5
Celtics vs. Cavaliers NBA Preview
This game is a clash of the titans in the Eastern Conference.
We are seeing the Milwaukee Bucks get back to a decent spot, but the Eastern Conference has been incredibly weak and disappointing this year. It is likely these two teams end up with the top-2 spots in the East, on opposite sides of the bracket, and duking it out for home court advantage for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite it being a December 1 NBA game, and still months left in the season, the head to head spot while these two teams are separated by a half-game in the standings will likely ratchet up the sense of urgency for both teams. The winner of this contest is going to hold the No. 1 seed in the East.
The Cavaliers started out hot and went 15-0 before going 2-3 in their last five and losing their previous two games to the Atlanta Hawks.
Look for the Cavs to get right, but also Boston to kick them while they are down and take that spot. I have no bets on the spread because I can see it going either way, and getting ahead of the -1 spread is not that relevant to NBA outcomes, as it is the 13th most common game result in the last three NBA seasons combined.
There are better spots here, like the under!
Celtics vs. Cavaliers Prediction
My favorite bet for this game is the under at 234.5.
When these two teams played a few weeks ago in Boston, the total closed at 234 and landed over on a 120-117 win for the Celtics that had a cumulative 237 total points.
It makes sense for the next game total to open at 236.5, but we also have Kristaps Porzingis back into the lineup. However, I always say the line movement and closing number is more important than the actual game itself to forecasting future capping spots.
This is also an earlier start time, tipping off at 6 p.m. ET, and early start times in the NBA have long been linked with under spots.
Considering the fact we have a similar over/under to the previous matchup between these two teams, the sense of urgency for both sides, and an earlier tip time, my favorite bet is the under this evening.
I would also look to pair the under with some Cavaliers 3-point props. My best bet is the under, but if you like parlays, I would bet a small amount also on the Celtics as well. They are just so dominant with Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup.
Best Bet: Under 232.5 (-110)
Same Game Parlay: Celtics -1, Under 232.5 (+231)
Cavaliers vs Celtics Betting Trends
