While tightly-contested series seem to be happening all around the Cleveland Cavaliers, they’re yet to break a sweat in the 2016 Playoffs. The Eastern Conference number one seed improved to 9-0 in the postseason, following a 31-point blowout win in Game 1 against the number two seeded Toronto Raptors. Will Game 2 be more of the same, or do the Raptors have something up their sleeve to square the series?
Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers
If Game 1 is any indication, the Cleveland Cavaliers already have one foot in the 2016 NBA Finals, after dismantling a tired and wounded Toronto Raptors 115-84. That match bared some interesting resemblance to Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-final between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, which the Spurs won by 32 before ultimately losing four of the next five games. Who are we really kidding though? The Raptors are sadly unbackable, in their current state. Hence the odds-makers have set a very uncomfortable spread of twelve points, with the Cavaliers again expected to romp to victory. What makes this so uncomfortable, given the lop-sided score of Game 1, is the fact that these are two of the top four defensive units in the NBA and in a match involving defensive pressure at both ends, you would take the points on most occasions. Unfortunately, Toronto’s defence was so poor two nights ago that it’s impossible to even trust that theory. The Cavaliers are going to win this game – it’s just a matter of by how much. The interest for The Big Dog is in the game total. Much has been made of Cleveland’s recent hot shooting from the perimeter and overs has received support as a result. However, of the five games the Cavs have played at home, this postseason, unders holds a 3-2 advantage, while unders has almost swept in Raptors games where they are the visiting side (6-1). This mutual trend was captured in Game 1, where the line was set at 200 points. The Big Dog expects the Raptors to improve out-of-sight on the defensive end, by virtue of the fact that they can’t do much worse than they did in Game 1. It won’t help them level the series today… but unders should continue its dominance of the total points line, at pretty handy odds.
Selection
Cleveland Cavaliers/Under 198.5 (Head to Head/Total Points) @ $2.20 (Luxbet)
Tools
Results Spreadsheet
