BOSTON CELTICS VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS GAME 4 ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR MAY 13, 2024 

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA playoff coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from tonight’s slate features the Boston Celtics (70-20 SU, 47-38-5 ATS) taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers (53-39 SU, 42-48-2 ATS) in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this Game 4 matchup and why.

 

Tipoff

• When: Monday, May 13, 2024
  
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
  
• Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
  
• Location: Cleveland, OH
  
• TV: TNT

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Odds (Via DraftKings)

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – How We Got Here & Betting Trends

After getting by the Miami Heat in five games in the opening round of the playoffs, the Boston Celtics began the conference semifinals with an emphatic 120-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. But as was the case in the Miami series, the Cs dropped Game 2 at home and would need a road win to regain home-court advantage.

As the league’s top team has done all season, they responded, taking Game 3 by a 106-93 margin to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Four of the Celtics starting five scored in double figures. Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 33 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and handed out six assists. 

Jaylen Brown added points on an efficient 13-for-17 shooting from the field, and he knocked down two of his three attempts from beyond the arc. He also tallied nine rebounds and three assists. 

Jrue Holiday had a solid outing with 18 points, eight boards, and five dimes, connecting on seven of his 10 shot attempts. 

“I think we just need everybody to be on the same page and everybody to come out with the right effort,” Jaylen Brown said via CBS Sports. “That’s 85 percent of the battle right there. We come out, we play hard, and then we’re on the same page, and the rest will take care of itself. We got enough talent in the locker room to beat teams.

Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Cavaliers failed to capitalize on their resounding 118-94 win in Game 2. Donovan Mitchell shouldered most of the scoring load with 33 points on 12-for-22 shooting from the floor and 7-for-12 from the 3-point line. 

Evan Mobley added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Darius Garland contributed 15 points, six assists, and three rebounds. Looking back at their Game 2 road win, the Cavaliers’ offense was very efficient, shooting 54.7 percent overall and 46.4 percent from distance. However, that trend changed in Game 3 as the home team was 42.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from distance. 

Cleveland trailed by nine points (57-48) at the break. But any hopes they had of getting back into the game were quickly dashed as the Celtics reeled off 14 consecutive points, pushing their advantage to 23 points. This run proved to be the defining stretch in this contest. 

“(The 14-0 run) changed the game,” Donovan Michell said after the game. “Give them credit. They came out with a sense of urgency. It’s tough to come back from that. They came out with an intention.”

The Cavaliers will need a win in Game 4 to avoid going back to Boston down 3-1. That will not be easy, though, as the Celtics are 17-7 on the road in the playoffs over the past three seasons, including a 3-0 record during this postseason. 

Now that we have set the stage for this Game 4 showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both sides. 

The Picks

The Spread

Following their 116-93 win in Game 3, the Celtics come into this matchup as an 8.5-point favorite (per BleacherNation.com). Here is a look at how both ball clubs have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last six games.
• Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last five matchups against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The Cavaliers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight outings.
• Cleveland is 7-13 ATS in their last 20 contests against Eastern Conference teams.

Prediction: Boston Celtics (-8.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 209.5 points. The line has moved to 205.5 points at the time of this writing (per Pre-Game.com). Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Celtics’ last six games.

• In Boston’s last six road contests, the UNDER total is 5-1.

• The UNDER total is 6-2 in the Celtics’ last eight May games.

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Cavaliers’ last five contests.

• In Cleveland’s last nine May games, the UNDER total prevailed six times.

Prediction: UNDER 208 points

Player Prop Bets

Following his 33-point, 13-rebound effort in Game 3, Jayson Tatum is the key player to watch for the Celtics. He currently has -120 odds of scoring more than 27.5 points and +100 odds of finishing with less than 27.5 points (via DraftKings). 

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• Tatum is averaging 26.5 points per contest during the regular season and playoffs.
• In six games against the Cavaliers this season, he has averaged 25.7 points per contest.
• During the postseason, Tatum is averaging 23.1 points per outing.
• Tatum has played against Eastern Conference teams 54 times this season (including the playoffs). In those contests, he is averaging 26.4 points per outing.
• In 18 matchups against Central Division opponents, the Celtics’ forward is averaging 26.1 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, Tatum has averaged 22.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup only twice during that stretch.

Prediction: Jayson Tatum UNDER 27.5 points

On the other side of this matchup, on the heels of his 33-point performance in Cleveland’s Game 3 loss, Donovan Mitchell is the key player to watch for the home team. He currently has -118 odds of scoring more than 29.5 points and -102 odds of finishing with less than 29.5 points. 

Do Mitchell’s numbers favorably compare to the estimated points total for this matchup? Let’s look at the tale of the tape to find out. 

• Mitchell is averaging 27.1 points per contest during the regular season and playoffs.
• In five games against the Celtics this season, he has averaged 31.0 points per contest.
• During the postseason, Mitchell is averaging 29.6 points per outing.
• Mitchell has played against Eastern Conference teams 44 times this season (including the playoffs). In those contests, he is averaging 28.2 points per outing.
• In 15 matchups against Atlantic Division opponents, the Cavaliers guard is averaging 27.3 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, Mitchell has averaged 29.6 points and 4.7 assists per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

Prediction: Donovan Mitchell OVER 29.5 points

James Tillman’s Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 Picks

• The Spread: Boston Celtics (-8.5) Bleacher Nation
• Over/Under: OVER 208 points (Pre-Game.com)
• Player Prop Bet #1: Jayson Tatum UNDER 27.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Donovan Mitchell OVER 29.5 points