The assumption at the beginning of the season was that we’d see a Boston Celtics-Cleveland Cavaliers Eastern Conference final and while there have been a few twists in the road, it looks like we’re headed in that direction. Even though the Toronto Raptors are the top team in the Eastern Conference coming out of the All-Star break in terms of the standings, the general assumption is that the Cavs and Celtics are a cut above. The oddsmakers at BetDSI sportsbook have posted the projected Eastern Conference Finals series odds, so let’s take a closer and breakdown the matchup we’re all expecting:
Eastern Conference Finals Series Odds (matchup must occur for action)
Boston Celtics +100
Cleveland Cavaliers -130
Odds courtesy of BetDSI.
Where The Celtics Have The Edge
The Celtics have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA all season to the point where Kyrie Irving is even engaged on that end of the floor. They’re first in defensive efficiency and second in points allowed, and are clearly a superior team to the Cavaliers in this regard. The Celtics also have Brad Stevens, one of the best coaches in the league. We’ve seen his magic touch. He coaches up the Celtics whereas Ty Lue doesn’t elevate his roster the same way.
The other key is that the Celtics are a more cohesive unit – at least right now – and they have more depth and versatility than the Cavs have shown to have all season.
Where The Cavaliers Have The Edge
LeBron James is coming off his third All-Star MVP and as long as the Cavaliers have him, they’re going to get the benefit of the doubt on almost in almost any series. The Cavaliers have looked great since pulling off a slew of moves at the trade deadline and it seems to have given them a real shot in the arm. Not coincidentally, they even routed Boston on the road in their first game after the trades.
They’ve won the East three years in a row and as long as James is wearing a Cavs uniform, his team will be the one to beat.
X-Factors
Both teams have injured players that could come back and shift the power of balance. For the Cavaliers, they know they’re getting Kevin Love (broken hand) back but not until April. The Celtics have Gordon Hayward stashed on the sidelines after his gruesome leg/ankle break suffered but he is going to start travelling with the team in March. The whispers are that he’ll be back by the end of the regular season, but even if he is, will Hayward be able to contribute? He has been out for a long time.
The other key x-factor in this series will be home-court advantage. The Celtics currently have it and they’ll need it to beat Cleveland in a seven-game series. It’s hard to see the Cavs losing if they’re the ones with the extra home game.
Outlook
It looked like the Cavaliers were down and out before their deadline moves but the additions of Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, George Hill and Rodney Hood have revived this roster. Meanwhile, the Celtics were slumping heading into the All-Star break but many remember the team that started 22-4 and looked like a team that could win the East. If they can recapture that form and the Cavs don’t gel, they could emerge from the East.
What’s more likely to happen, though, is that the Cavaliers rally around James. He’s the best player in the league and now he has a roster that can support him. The Celtics will fight valiantly but they’re still a year away from being able to win the East. The Cavs are the better bet on the Eastern Conference Finals series odds.
Prediction
Cavaliers in six
