Kevin Love was hardly a factor in Game 4 after an outstanding Game 3. Which Love shows up tonight?
Game 5
Series Tied 2-2
CLE at BOS
Spread: EVEN
Total: 206
Odds c/o 5dimes
For the first time in this series, the Boston Celtics are not underdogs according to NBA oddsmakers. They are not favored, either. NBA oddsmakers at 5dimes set the line EVEN for Game 5, which will tip off at 7:30 PM (Central) on ESPN.
The betting total is set at 206 points, and through the first four games, the average point total is 201.75 points. That would lead us to favor the UNDER, if not for Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue has already said he wants the Cavs to up the pace in Game 5.
While the Odds are set EVEN, the home team has won every game in this series thus far, so we do like Boston to bounce back from consecutive losses in Cleveland and take a crucial swing game 5. While no one is quick to count out LeBron James anymore, this Game 5 is every bit as crucial as it is typically labeled.
Teams that have a 3-2 series edge go on to win 85.9 percent of the time.
A lot of this is because the Game 5 home team is the team with home-court advantage, but it should be more than applicable to this series given how well the Celtics tend to play at the TD Garden. While Games 3 and 4 were all-Cavaliers, the shift in venue will play no small role in the outcome of this game.
Boston shot just 41.2 percent from the floor in Game 4, as the Cavaliers won 111-102. Jaylen Brown had a superb outing, shooting 10 of 23 from the field en route to a team-high 25 points, but LeBron James went super-human on Boston again, finishing with 44 points, three assists, and five rebounds while recording a +9 mark in his 42 minutes of court time. James also was able to stimulate some help from George Hill, Tristan Thompson, and Kyle Korver, which helped fully offset a miserable game by Kevin Love.
Love was just 3 of 12 from the floor but did grab 11 rebounds (2 offensive) while dishing out three assists. Love has not adapted well to being anything but an alpha, meanwhile, Korver has proved himself to be more of a second option, with fewer field goals. Korver’s defensive play was also as outstanding as it was anomalous, as the 6’7” forward finished with three blocks, none of which were “Cheap.” At this point, people are now listing him among the elite of his 2003 draft, though when it was conducted he was a lowly second-rounder. An All-Star appearance in Atlanta later and a key performance in a crucial playoff game has many re-thinking just how good Korver actually is. LBJ will need all of that help once again in a tough road game that will have a high influence on the eventual outcome of this series.
ATS TRENDS
| Cleveland | |
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| Boston | |
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OU TRENDS
| Cleveland | |
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| Boston | |
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HEAD TO HEAD
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