Bet on Celtics to shut down Cavaliers offense in Game 2 matchup of ECSF

The Celtics took Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round playoff series in resounding fashion, 120-95.

Jaylen Brown scored 32 points for Boston, while the team’s defense was lights out, holding Cleveland to 95 points.

As we look ahead to Thursday night’s Game 2 in Boston, the Celtics are again heavily favored.

Let’s take a look at the matchup and make a prediction and pick.

Donovan Mitchell continued his impressive playoff run in Game 1, scoring 33 points on 12-of-25 shooting. He also added six rebounds and five assists.

Mitchell is now averaging 29.3 points for the postseason on 46.2% shooting, bouncing back significantly from last season’s disappointing playoff performance.

Unfortunately for the Cavs, Mitchell isn’t getting much help. Darius Garland continues to underwhelm on his max contract, the largest in team history, as he’s averaging just 14.8 points and 5.4 assists in the playoffs.

The continued absence of Jarrett Allen has also hurt the team on both ends of the court, taking away a crucial rim-running, shot-blocking big man.

Overall, Cleveland shot just 26.2% from 3, and their offense lacks the critical multiplicity needed to attack an elite Boston defense.

At the very least, the return of Allen (questionable, rib contusion) would help in the rebounding department, as the Celtics beat the Cavs on the boards, 55-38, in Game 1, including 13 on the offensive end.

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The Celtics don’t need Jayson Tatum to play at an elite level to be successful, even with Kristaps Porzingis out of the lineup.

Tatum scored 18 points on 7-of-19 shooting (36%), including 0-of-5 from 3-point range, and Boston still won by 25 points. Tatum’s contributions were focused elsewhere, with 11 rebounds and five assists.

Jaylen Brown (32 points) and Derrick White (25 points) handled the scoring burden, combining to shoot 62% from the field and 61% from 3-point range.

With Cleveland sending extra help against Tatum, the other starters found plenty of open shots, hitting 39.1% of their 3-pointers in the game. P

Payton Pritchard has continued to emerge as a difference-maker for Boston, scoring 16 points and five rebounds in Game 1.

Boston now has a defensive rating of 100.9 in the playoffs, and it’s been impossible for their opponents to find any consistent offense.

Perhaps that changes later in the postseason, but it’s difficult to envision any team competing with their shooting prowess and defensive tenacity.

In Game 1, my recommended bet was the Cavaliers’ team total under 98.5 points. It was a sweat until the closing seconds as they finished with 95 points, but that was largely on the heels of a red-hot shooting first quarter with 34 points. Their offense cooled off dramatically as the game progressed.

I’m not rushing to back Boston as 13.5-point favorites, given the inherent variance involved with their 3-point-heavy approach, but I’ll happily fade the Cleveland offense again.

The Cavs now rank 15th out of 16 playoff teams with a 100.3 offensive rating, and they’ve been held under 100 points in 10 of their last 13 playoff games dating to last season.

Mitchell is brilliant, but there’s no light at the end of the tunnel for this putrid Cavs offense, much less against an elite Celtics defense.

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