Celtics Seek Game 3 Rebound, and to Retake Series Lead From Cavaliers

Can the Cavaliers play well in consecutive games? That’s the big question for Game 3.

Celtics vs Cavaliers Game Information

• Game: Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers
• Date/Time: May 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland
• Celtics vs Cavaliers Live Stream: NBA Game Pass

Celtics vs Cavaliers Head-to-Head

Celtics vs Cavaliers Odds and Spreads

Celtics vs Cavaliers Betting Trends

• The Celtics are 11-8 ATS following a loss.
• The Celtics are 21-19-3 ATS as the road team.
• The Cavaliers are 21-22-1 ATS as the home team.
• The Cavaliers are 21-31 ATS following a win.
• The over is 27-24-1 following a Cavaliers win.

Live or Die by the 3

Game 2 showed how bad it can be when teams live or dive by the 3.

The Celtics were terrible from behind the 3-point line, and despite having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who are elite power players, they never changed strategy.

Surely, if the 3s aren’t going down in Game 3, the Celtics change it up and start getting into the paint. If they don’t, they’ll have to settle for a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series.

However, if there’s one team good enough to make adjustments it’s the Celtics. They are the best team in the NBA, and one bad game shouldn’t define them.

They have bounced back from losses well for much of the year, and although playing in Cleveland won’t help their chances, they are the worthy favorites to retake the series lead.

Containing Donovan Mitchell would take them a long way to winning. He had 29 points in Game 2, and was helped by terrific performances from Caris LaVert and Evan Mobley.

The Celtics have their hands full, and letting the Cavaliers win another game could spell trouble for the NBA title favorites.

Upstart Cavaliers Hope to Double Down

The Cavaliers are hoping for more of the same in Game 3, but repeating that performance is easier said than done.

They were terrific in handing the Celtics only their sixth loss at TD Garden. Everyone played well, but they can’t rest on their laurels.

Winning on the road is only good if you back it up with a home win, and we have a feeling the Celtics will come out with more enthusiasm.

“We have a group that sticks together and believes in each other… We’ve been through so much, so why stop now?” 🗣️

Donovan Mitchell speaks to the poise of the Cavs throughout the season pic.twitter.com/8JTg3nsWbB

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 10, 2024

The Cavs are a solid home team, especially come playoff time. In their series against the Orlando Magic, they won all four games at home.

That can’t be overlooked, and getting a +7½ start is a sizable advantage. They defeated the Celtics by 24 points in Game 2, so it would need to be a 31-point turnaround for the Cavaliers to not cover.

Having Mitchell playing well helps, and he won’t die wondering.

“Sometimes you get lucky,” Mitchell said. “Shooters shoot.“

“I hadn’t shot much, trying to find ways to get guys involved early, and picking my spots. I was just continuing to find ways to apply pressure on them.”

Shots Expected to Fall for Celtics

After missing just about everything on Thursday, we expect a big bounce back performance from the Eastern Conference favorites.

Covering a -8 spread on the road isn’t easy, but this is a Celtics team capable of scoring big totals, and the Cavaliers are unlikely to replicate their Game 2 effort.

We expect more power play from Tatum and Brown, who will put up plenty of 3s, but it’s all about spreading the floor and making the Cavs defense work for it.

Take the better team to cover the spread. The Celtics will want to reestablish themselves as the dominant force before other teams get any ideas.

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