4% Take Boston -Cleveland OVER (#567-568)

The Boston Celtics finished #1 in the NBA in offensive efficiency in the regular season.  They’re among the leaders in offensive efficiency here in the playoffs (just shy of 120 points per 100 possessions), despite facing the slower paced, defensive minded Heat in the first round.  Boston hung 120 on the Cavs in the opener; yet all the Cavaliers quotes following that defeat talked about their problems on offense.

Cavs head coach JB Bickerstaff: “Obviously there's a lot of areas that we can improve on… coming from the series that we just came from (against Orlando) that was more of a half-court slugfest… We'll learn from it and we'll be better on Thursday." 

More Bickerstaff: "I thought we created some open shots.  think we got some of the looks we were looking for; they just didn't go. I think we missed four or five layups in that second quarter. Typically, we make those. We got some open 3s from guys who we wanted to take them. We'll make more of those as the series goes along."

Donovan Mitchell: “We got (42) 3s up and we hit (only) 11.  I think the biggest thing now is just being able to hit and knock them down."

The Cavs and the Celtics have played eight times over the past two seasons.  Exactly ONE of those eight games stayed Under 212 points; they’re 6-2 to the Over in those eight meetings. The Celtics have gotten to 110+ in all eight of those games; Cleveland is looking to make offensive adjustments here so they can keep up with that scoring.  And, unlike the Cavs series against the Magic, Boston is primed to run and push pace and play with tempo, setting the stage for another relatively high scoring affair tonight.  Take the OVER.

Line Parameter: 4% at 213 or lower, 3% at 213.5 or higher