NBA Eastern Conference Round Two Playoff Preview and Predictions: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
The Eastern Conference has reached its final four, with the second round of the NBA Playoffs set to tip off on Sunday afternoon. According to Mavs Moneyball, all of the higher seeds in the East advanced to the second round, setting up some intriguing match-ups. In this article, we will preview the series between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, as well as the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers.
Series Overview: Cavaliers vs Pacers
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers are set to face off in the second round, with the Cavaliers favored to win the series. As reported by Mavs Moneyball, the Cavaliers are listed at -425 to win the series, while the Pacers are at +330. The series spread is Cavaliers -1.5 games (-170) and Pacers +1.5 games (+140).
Tyler, a writer for Mavs Moneyball, predicts that the Cavaliers will win the series in 6 games. "Perhaps I’m being too harsh on the Cavs here, as they really didn’t need to expend much effort to get past the Miami Heat in round one," he writes. "However, the Pacers have proven to be a bear to play against due to their unique offensive system and high tempo. The Cavs are the better team here and I think they’ll eventually get this thing done, but I respect Rick Carlisle and Indiana too much to not think they won’t steal a couple games here."
David, also a writer for Mavs Moneyball, agrees with Tyler’s prediction, also picking the Cavaliers to win in 6 games. "This is going to be a fantastic series," he writes. "Both teams have an offense that thrives on spacing and shooting. Both teams have great guard play, shot-blocking big men, and coaches with tenure in the playoffs. Unfortunately, Indiana does not have enough defense to contain the Cavaliers’ weapons for seven games."
Series Props: Cavaliers vs Pacers
Some notable series props for this match-up include:
- Evan Mobley to lead the series in rebounds (+130)
- Cavaliers to be up 2-1 after game 3 (+115)
- Cavaliers in 5 (+285)
- Cavaliers in 6 (+450)
According to Mavs Moneyball, Tyler likes Mobley in this spot, as Jarrett Allen will draw the attention of Myles Turner and the Pacers’ center. "Against Pascal Siakam, I think ample opportunities await Evan Mobley on the glass," he writes.
Series Overview: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
The Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks are set to face off in the second round, with the Celtics heavily favored to win the series. As reported by Mavs Moneyball, the Celtics are listed at -800 to win the series, while the Knicks are at +550. The series spread is Celtics -2.5 games (-130) and Knicks +2.5 games (+110).
Tyler, a writer for Mavs Moneyball, predicts that the Celtics will win the series in 5 games. "The Celtics have won each of their last 5 playoff series’ in 5 games or less, and I don’t see any reason why that would change now," he writes. "To be honest, I’d be more shocked if this series went six games compared to if it was a Celtics sweep."
David, also a writer for Mavs Moneyball, disagrees with Tyler’s prediction, picking the Celtics to win in 7 games. "The Celtics are heavily favored in this series, but I do not see why," he writes. "When New York traded for Karl-Anthony Towns in October, my initial thought was how well they matched up with Boston. Sure, the Jalen Brunson matchup is still tough. But they have the wing depth to make life tough for Boston’s top scorers, and Towns can create the mismatch to match Kristaps Porzingis."
Series Props: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
Some notable series props for this match-up include:
- Jayson Tatum to lead the series in rebounds (+390)
- Celtics -2.5 games (-130)
- Knicks +2.5 games (+110)
- Celtics to win 4-3 (+500)
- Jalen Brunson to lead the series in scoring (+110)
According to Mavs Moneyball, Tyler likes Tatum to lead the series in rebounds, as the Celtics are uniquely positioned to get Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble by getting him in switches.
The NBA Eastern Conference second round is set to tip off on Sunday afternoon, with two intriguing series on the schedule. Will the Cavaliers and Celtics live up to expectations, or will the Pacers and Knicks pull off some surprises? Only time will tell.
The information provided in this article was sourced from Mavs Moneyball.
