SUNDAY MAY 9, 2010 – Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics
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Team records:
Boston: 50-32 SU, 33-48-1 ATS
Cleveland: 61-21 SU, 37-43-2 ATS
Can this be happening? Are the Boston Celtics about to upset the NBA’s applecart and actually deprive LeBron James of a mano-a-mano battle against Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals?
At times this season the Celtics have resembled Confederate soldiers an hour after the Battle of Gettysburg, with defensive go-to guy Kevin Garnett and offensive fulcrum Paul Pierce nursing various aches and pains.
Matchup: CAVALIERS vs. CELTICS
Time: Sunday 3:30 ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston
Spread: Cavaliers -1
Over/Under: 191
The theory in Boston goes like this: LeBron James is the best player on the court in this series, but the Celtics have the 2nd-, 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-best players in Paul Piece, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo (rank them any way you want). Friday night the Cavaliers answered that with two words – so what?
Even if the Celtics’ old warriors are giving it one last final shot and even if they beat the Cavs in Cleveland and even if they are decent on the road, it’s apparent that James is so superior to everyone else that it doesn’t matter.
Boston’s relics had several days to rest between Games 2 and 3, and it didn’t do them a bit of good. 
Pierce, in particular, looks lost trying to defend James. The Truth picked up a couple of early fouls in Friday night and headed for the bench, and if you injected him with truth serum, chances are good that he would have admitted that he was happier sitting. James outscored the entire Boston team in the first period, the rout was on and by halftime the fans were booing the home team, which was on the way toward its most lopsided home loss in its history.
The teams go at it again in Boston on Sunday, with Cavs in the enviable position of being able to laugh off a second loss and still be able to win the series at home, where they have been nearly invincible.
Speaking of invincible, here are James’s stats in the playoffs – 32 points a game, 8.5 rebounds a game, 10 assists a game, 13 steals and 18 blocks.
The NBA is a star-dominated league, and the Celtics are learning that the stars of today will beat the stars of yesterday just about every time.
Celtics vs. Cavaliers Game 4 Free NBA Prediction
Game 3 produced an interesting line movement. The Celtics opened up at +1 almost as soon as their upset in Game 2 was in the books, but heavy money on the Celtics at mid-week caused the line to move to a pick ‘em, then by tipoff the Celtics were actually giving a point.
The over was obliterated early when the Celtics played uninspired ball defensively. Boston coach Doc Rivers said after the game that the Celtics had had lousy practices on Wednesday and Thursday. Maybe with less time off they can be more competitive?
Probably not.
Cavs minus one seems like a gif here.
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Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel expert from Massachusetts.
