NBA betting lines can be really stubborn during the playoffs. On Tuesday night, we saw the Boston Celtics struggle to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 76-72 as 10-point favorites. As a result, the odds on the Celtics for Thursday’s Game 2 have moved with all the ferocity of a glacier – Boston is now a “mere” 8.5-point chalk.
Every point counts when you’re line shopping, but this move doesn’t even represent a single bucket. And single buckets were very hard to come by in the series opener. Both the Celtics (No. 1 in efficiency) and the Cavaliers (No. 11) bring defensive mindsets to the floor, leading to the following ghastly performances on Tuesday:
• LeBron James: 2-for-18, 12 points, 10 turnovers
• Delonte West: 2-for-10, four points, two assists
• Paul Pierce: 2-for-14, four points, six turnovers
• Ray Allen: 0-for-4, zero points, four turnovers
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