Two second-round series in the NBA playoffs start Tuesday night, including games involving both conference’s top seeds.
The Boston Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers as heavy favorites in the Eastern Conference, while the Dallas Mavericks look to grab Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.
Let’s break down the Game 1 matchups and make predictions and picks for each.
Cavaliers vs. Celtics
The Cavaliers rallied from an early double-digit deficit to oust Orlando in Game 7 of their first-round series, drawing the top-seeded Celtics, who eliminated the short-handed Heat in five games.
The Cavaliers lost two of three regular-season matchups with Boston with the lone victory, 105-104, coming as an 8.5-point home underdog. All three meetings were decided by nine points or fewer, which included a Cleveland cover at TD Garden as a double-digit ‘dog in a loss.
Donovan Mitchell was a one-man wrecking crew toward the end of the Magic series, scoring 50 points in a Game 6 loss and 39 in the Game 7 victory.
All four of Boston’s wins in the first round came by 14 or more points, which justifies Tuesday’s 12.5-point spread, even with forward Kristaps Porzingis (calf) sidelined.
While Cleveland hasn’t had other players step up to help Mitchell with the scoring load, Boston has plenty of options to light it up in this series.
Let’s lay the points with the Celtics in Game 1.
Pick: Celtics -12.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
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Luka Doncic and the Mavericks take on the top-seeded Thunder on Tuesday. (Mike Stewart/AP)
Mavericks vs. Thunder
The Thunder made quick work of the Pelicans in the first round in a four-game sweep to advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2016.
The Mavericks eliminated the Clippers in six games in the opening round as guard Luka Doncic averaged nearly 30 points per game in the series.
Oklahoma City has won its past eight games dating back to the final week of the regular season, while covering the spread seven times.
The Mavericks struggled against the Thunder this season, losing three of four matchups, including both of their visits to Oklahoma City.
The most recent meeting can be scratched off as both Doncic and Kyrie Irving didn’t suit up in a 135-86 loss on the final day of the regular season.
Only once in the four games between these two teams did both Doncic and Irving play together and Dallas; the Mavericks won that game, 146-111, in mid-February.
This will be a very intriguing series, but let’s go with the Mavericks to cover as a road underdog in Game 1.
Pick: Mavericks +3.5 (-110 at FanDuel)
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