Cavaliers vs. Celtics: Odds Favor Cleveland In Game 6, Boston Favored To Reach 2018 NBA Finals

There’s a good chance the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics will need all seven games to decide the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals. Home teams are 5-0 in the series, and that pattern is expected to continue Friday night.

Cleveland is a seven-point favorite at Quicken Loans Arena in Game 6, according to OddsShark. The Celtics are still favored to win the series with -175 betting odds. The Cavs are +155 underdogs to win two consecutive games.

Boston was dominant in Game 5, defeating Cleveland 96-83. The Celtics limited LeBron James to just 26 points on 22 shots, holding the Cavs to 41.9 percent shooting from the field and 26.5 percent shooting from three-point range.

That’s been a theme for the Cavs all series long. They can’t seem to get anything going offensively at TD Garden, where they are averaging 86.7 points per game.

James had his worst game of the entire playoffs in Game 1 of the conference finals when he scored just 15 points. J.R. Smith has six total points in three road games this series, and George Hill has 15 points in three road games.

The Cavs have looked like a completely different offensive team at home. It isn’t just that James has been his usual dominant self with 71 points on 40 shots. He’s actually gotten support from his teammates in Cleveland.

While they’ve somehow only totaled 21 points in three road games, Cleveland’s starting backcourt has 46 points in two home games. Tristan Thompson was most effective in Game 3 and Game 4, and Kyle Korver has made nine of his 12 field-goal attempts in Cleveland.

Despite their struggles on the road, Cleveland could be favored to win the series if they pull out a Game 6 victory. Would LeBron James actually be the underdog against this Boston team in a winner-take-all Game 7?

The Celtics continue to overachieve without their two injured All-Stars. They’ve been perfect at home this postseason as players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are developing into stars in their own right.

Al Horford has arguably been Boston’s best overall player this postseason. Brad Stevens might be solidifying his spot as the best coach in the NBA.

A deciding Game 7 would be played in Boston on Sunday night.