Cavaliers vs. Celtics Prediction and Odds for November 19: Team of Undefeateds Meets the Defending Champs

The undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers (15-0) will cross paths with the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics (11-3) in the In-Season Tournament on Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers’ unblemished start has seen them go 7-0 on the road and beat teams such as the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks, but they’re yet to face the best team in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics’ three losses came by a combined total of 10 points, and they continually look like they’re set up for long-term dynastic success. They beat the Toronto Raptors in overtime via a Jayson Tatum buzzer-beating three-pointer their last time on the court but are 0-1 in the IST.

Here, we will analyze the odds and share our favorite betting picks for the Cavaliers vs. Celtics In-Season Tournament throwdown.

Cavaliers vs. Celtics Betting Odds for Tuesday, November 19

The Cavs are 11-4 (73.3 percent) against the spread, 2-0 ATS as an underdog, and 5-2 (71.4 percent) ATS on the road.

The C’s are 7-7 (50 percent) ATS, every result coming as the favorite, and 2-4 (33.3 percent) ATS at home.

The following odds are from BetMGM Sportsbook. Place your bets on the Cavaliers vs. Celtics game at BetMGM and claim up to $1,500 in bonus bets with our promo code WSNSPORTS.

Cavaliers vs. Celtics Prediction

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

What a remarkable start this has been for Cleveland. Their 15-game win streak straight out of the gates tied the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and the 1993-94 Houston Rockets for the second-best start to a season in NBA history, only better by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.

Cleveland has the highest offensive and seventh-best defensive rating in the NBA, leading to it outscoring opponents by an average of 11.5 points per 100 possessions. They’re just about average in rebounding but rank fifth in assist percentage and eighth in turnover rate, meaning they create efficient offense and don’t shoot themselves in the foot.

That’s only just the tip of the iceberg here. The Cavs shot the three better than every team in the league by far, making 41.9 percent of their attempts—but they also led the league in two-point percentage, sinking 60.1 percent of their attempts. 

Evan Mobley’s aggression and willingness to initiate the offense have unlocked more actions within the halfcourt, leading to better offense. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland also averaged a combined 46 points and 11.1 assists per game, while both shot better than 42 percent from beyond the arc. 

What makes Cleveland a legitimate championship contender is its depth. It has the third-best bench net rating in basketball thanks to two double-digit scorers in the reserves, Caris LeVert and Ty Jerome.

The Cavs won’t stay undefeated forever, but Kenny Atkinson has done a remarkable job in his first year in charge. His team has a mind-boggling +70.8 net rating in the clutch and is ready for its biggest test of the season on Tuesday.

Side note: When was the last time that a team on a 15-game win streak was an underdog? We’d love to know.

Boston Celtics Preview

The reigning league champs don’t need an introduction. They push modern basketball to the extreme with highly-versatile and switchable players who take and make a ton of threes without sacrificing their overall efficiency.

Boston is third in net rating (+10.2) and ranks second in offensive and ninth in defensive efficiency. The team checks in one spot behind the Cavs in rebound rate but is 17th in assist-to-turnover ratio, whereas Cleveland is first.

Not to bury the lede, the Celtics make an average of 18.9 three-pointers per game. That puts them on pace to smash the record for made threes in a season and is 3.4 more per game than the Cavs. 

What makes them different from other teams with bombs-away philosophies is that they defend the heck out of the perimeter, holding teams to 34.6 shooting from deep (sixth). Cleveland, for all of its excellent defense, allows the third-highest percentage (37.8) to its opponents.

Jayson Tatum averaged nearly 30 points per game to go with 7.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists, while Jaylen Brown is close behind at 25.6 points per night. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard also averaged career-highs in scoring, while Kristaps Porzingis is yet to make his return from an injury.

Boston doesn’t play at an overwhelming pace, but they get the ball across halfcourt quickly and immediately flow into their actions. They never hesitate to take shots if given the slightest bit of space and can match up with anyone because of their versatility.

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Cavaliers vs. Celtics Betting Pick

• Cavaliers vs. Celtics pick: Celtics -4.5 (-115) at BetMGM

This is a situation in which although the Celtics are favored, the majority of bets are on the Cavs. 

Cleveland only won one of three matchups with Boston last year (by one point). Although they never played at the level they currently are, it is a gentle reminder that Cleveland’s unique player profiles and matchups can be countered by Boston’s length and activity.

The Cavs deserve endless amounts of praise for their start, but their troubles defending the three combined with Boston’s ability to create turnovers puts them in position to win and cover on their home floor.

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How to Watch Cavaliers vs. Celtics on 11/19/24

• When: Tuesday, Nov. 19 @ 7:00 p.m. ET

• Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

• TV: TNT

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