Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 21/12/2021, 18:52  by Joseph King | Modified on 22/12/2021 at 00:52 in NBA Prediction

The red hot Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Boston to take on the struggling Celtics in this Eastern Conference matchup. The Cavs have been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA season so far with a record of 19 wins and 12 defeats - good for the third seed in the East. They’ve been on a tear recently, winning six straight and boast a very impressive record of 10 wins and 5 losses when playing away from home. The Celtics, on the other hand, have had a disappointing year for a team with such high expectations. They are currently just outside of the playoff picture and sit in the 10th seed in the East with a 15-16 record. Their last ten games have seen them win four and lose six with the most recent a 108-103 home loss to the 76ers. 

The NBA continues to be ravaged by COVID with now over 80 players sidelined due to health and safety protocols. Cleveland has been hit hard, missing its two defensive giants Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley, the former a potential Most Improved Player candidate while the latter is the likely Rookie of the Year. The point spread has ballooned accordingly, making the Celtics significant favorites in this one. However, this Cavs team is a resilient bunch. Cleveland has been dealing with injuries all season, such as the Colin Sexton injury earlier in the year, yet has a great “next man up” mentality within the team. Cleveland is playing great team basketball against a disjointed Celtics team who have been out of rhythm all year. Despite the massive gap left with the absence of Allen and Mobley, the Cavs still have enough about them to keep this game close.