Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics picks, predictions: Who wins NBA Playoffs series?
The No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers and No. 1 seed Boston Celtics play in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Who will win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals?
Check out these NBA Playoffs series picks and predictions for the Eastern Conference matchup.
The Celtics are -1600 to win the series in NBA Playoffs odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook. The Cavaliers are +820.
The Celtics winning in five games is at +175 in odds for the outcome of the series, while Boston is +185 to sweep Cleveland. The Celtics are +470 to win in six games and +550 to win in seven games.
The Cavaliers are +1700 to take the series in six games, +2600 to win in seven, +4700 to win in five and +10000 to sweep Boston.
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NBC Sports Boston: Celtics will beat Cavaliers in six games
Darren Hartwell writes: "The Cavs aren't the Heat, folks. Mitchell has a proven playoff track record and forms a strong backcourt alongside Garland. Big men Mobley and Allen (if healthy) could give Boston trouble on both ends with Porzingis likely sidelined for the entire series. The Celtics are title favorites for a reason, though. They're immensely talented on both ends -- Derrick White's emergence as Boston's third-leading scorer is a game-changer offensively -- and showed impressive focus and maturity in their three consecutive wins over a scrappy Heat team in Round 1. Mitchell may put the Cavs on his back in one game, and the C's may go cold beyond the arc in another. But the Celtics are too good for this series to last longer than six games."
Sporting News: Celtics will sweep Cavaliers in four games
Stephen Noh writes: "The Celtics aren't at full strength either. However, despite the loss of Porzingis, Boston has a pretty clear edge here. They have been cruising, and they still have the ability to put five plus offensive and defensive players on the floor at all times. Al Horford is a playoff-tested replacement who should be able to hold the fort at center. Cleveland does have an excellent defense that can at least slow Boston down a bit, but they haven't been playing their best ball, and their offensive struggles were very evident in their previous series. They're not going to be able to keep pace with the star power that Boston has."
NBA Playoffs schedule: Mavericks vs Thunder | Timberwolves vs Nuggets | Pacers vs Knicks | Cavaliers vs Celtics | Daily NBA game schedule
The Oklahoman: Celtics will defeat Cavaliers in five games
Justin Martinez writes: "There's a chance neither team will be at full strength for this series. Boston's Kristaps Porzingis (calf) will likely be out for the entire round, and Cleveland's Jarrett Allen (ribs) has missed the last three games. But regardless of injuries, the Celtics should be the overwhelming favorite. Boston can throw defensive specialists such as Jrue Holiday and Derrick White at Donovan Mitchell. It also has the more reliable offense, which ranks second in the NBA in points per game (120.6) with Jayson Tatum leading the way. The Celtics should take care of business without too much trouble."
NBA Playoffs game picks: Mavericks vs Thunder | Timberwolves vs Nuggets | Pacers vs Knicks | Cavaliers vs Celtics
VSIN.com: Celtics will win series vs. Cavaliers in five or six games
Zachary Cohen writes: "It’s also hard to ignore that Boston still has Al Horford to play big minutes in Porzingis’ absence. That means that the Celtics still have a floor-spacing big to pull Allen or Mobley away from the basket and weaken the Cavaliers’ interior defense. That should mean some good opportunities for some of Boston’s guards and wings to score at the rim. Overall, it’s hard to see how the Cavaliers can stay competitive in this series. So, I’m hoping Boston wraps this up in four or five, and I’m giving Cleveland one or two games to account for a big Mitchell performance or a game in which the Celtics are freezing cold from 3."
STREAM THE SERIES: Watch Cavaliers vs. Celtics NBA Playoffs games with Sling TV
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cavaliers vs Celtics NBA Playoffs picks, predictions, odds
