Category: Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers-Celtics Odds Paint Grim Picture for Cleveland in NBA playoffs
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Cavaliers-Celtics Odds Paint Grim Picture for Cleveland in NBA playoffs

If the Cleveland Cavaliers were looking for bulletin board material heading into their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Celtics, all they’d have to do is look at the odds. 

Recent NBA betting scandals notwithstanding, it's clear oddsmakers don't think the Cavs stand any chance against Boston. In fact, sportsbooks are giving the Cavs a better chance of getting swept than upsetting the top-ranked Celtics, and it’s really not even close. 

The Celtics are -3000 to win the series at FanDuel Sportsbook and -1200 to win at DraftKings. That means those sportsbooks are giving the Celtics an implied probability to win the series of 96.8% and 92.3% respectively. 

Even more telling, the Celtics are +140 at FanDuel and +170 at DraftKings to win the series 4-0. Those are the shortest odds of any correct series score. The Celtics winning 4-1 has the second shortest odds at +170 and +190, respectively. 

For context, even after winning Game 1, the Knicks are only -440 at FanDuel to win their Eastern Conference semifinal series. 

This is not exactly surprising.

The Celtics have been the betting favorites to win the NBA championship most of the season and remain so today. They are +100 to win the title at FanDuel and +115 at DraftKings. 

The Cavs are +10000 and +8000 at those books, respectively, the longest odds of any playoff team.

All of this paints a grim picture for the Cavs, even more so when you consider the Celtics are expected to be without their third-leading scorer from the regular season, Kristaps Porzingis, who is dealing with a calf injury and is not expected to play the entirety of the series. 

The Cavs are at full strength but struggled to beat a young Orlando Magic team in the first round of the playoffs. The series went seven games and the Magic had the Cavs on the ropes in the first half of Game 7 before Donovan Mitchell took over and willed Cleveland into the second round. 

Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics easily dispatched the Miami Heat in five games in the first round, though the Heat were without Jimmy Butler.

It’s clear oddsmakers believe in the duo of Tatum and Brown, not only against the Cavs, but against anyone in the league. The Cavs could look at that as an insult and use it as motivation. It won’t matter to oddsmakers though. It seems their belief is near certainty, at least in this round.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Betting Odds, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA, NBA Playoffs
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Mics Captured Donovan Mitchell's Inspirational Message to Struggling Teammate During Cavaliers' Game 7 Win
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mics Captured Donovan Mitchell’s Inspirational Message to Struggling Teammate During Cavaliers’ Game 7 Win

For Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, Games 6 and 7 of the Cavaliers' first-round series against the Orlando Magic were 96 minutes from hell.

Despite a strong offensive performance in Friday's Game 6, a late eight-second violation by Garland helped seal Cleveland's fate in a 103-96 defeat. In Game 7 on Sunday, he struggled mightily, making just three of his 13 field goal attempts.

However, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell refused to quit on his backcourt mate as Cleveland iced its eventual 106-94 win. Behind-the-scenes video from the game showed one Cavaliers All-Star encouraging another.

"I believe in you. Believe in yourself," Mitchell told Garland in video posted on social media by Cleveland. "Believe in yourself. I believe in you, we believe in you."

Garland believed just enough to knock down a three-pointer, a two-pointer and three free throws as the Cavaliers outscored the Magic in the fourth quarter 30-26.

With the win, Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where it will meet the Boston Celtics.

Cleveland Cavaliers, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, NBA, Orlando Magic
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NBA Playoff Schedule: Full Rundown for Conference Semifinals
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

NBA Playoff Schedule: Full Rundown for Conference Semifinals

The first round of the 2024 NBA postseason had some great matchups, and things will only get better from here on out. Saturday marked the start of the second round of the playoffs, when true contenders battle against one another in an effort to reach the final four of their conference. Iron sharpens iron, after all, and this year's slate of Round 2 contests look pretty great across the board.

Fewer games means fewer overlapping broadcast times, too. After two weeks with up to three NBA games on every night, we're more or less back to the standard of an Eastern Conference tip-off around 7 p.m. ET and a Western Conference tip-off around 10 p.m. ET.

For your viewing habit purposes, here is the full schedule for the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, organized by series.

NBA Playoff Schedule for Second Round

Eastern Conference

(1) Boston Celtics v. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

• Game 1: Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Tuesday, May 7 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Thursday, May 9 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: Celtics vs. Cavaliers, Saturday, May 11 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Celtics vs. Cavaliers, Monday, May 13 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Wednesday, May 15 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Celtics vs. Cavaliers, Friday, May 17 (TBD)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Sunday, May 19 (TBD)

(2) New York Knicks v. (3) Indiana Pacers

• Game 1: Pacers vs. Knicks, Monday, May 6 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Pacers vs. Knicks, Wednesday, May 8 (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3: Knicks vs. Pacers, Friday, May 10 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4: Knicks vs. Pacers, Sunday, May 12 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Pacers vs. Knicks, Tuesday, May 14 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Knicks vs. Pacers, Friday, May 17 (TBD)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Pacers vs. Knicks, Sunday, May 19 (TBD)

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder v. (5) Dallas Mavericks

• Game 1: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Tuesday, May 7 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Thursday, May 9 (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Saturday, May 11 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Monday, May 13 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Thunder, Wednesday, May 15 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Thunder vs. Mavericks, Saturday, May 18 (8:30 p.m. ET)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Thunder, Monday, May 20 (8:30 p.m. ET)

(2) Denver Nuggets v. (3) Minnesota Timberwolves

• Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Monday, May 6 (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Friday, May 10 (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Sunday, May 12 (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Tuesday, May 14 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Thursday, May 16 (8:30 p.m. ET)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Sunday, May 19 (TBD)

Key Dates for the 2024 NBA Playoffs

Aside from the all the above, the NBA postseason generally has a few key dates.

The first have already passed in the form of the play-in tournament, as well as the start of the first round. The Nuggets and Timberwolves kicked off the second round on Saturday, May 4. Below are several other key dates to look forward to.

• Conference Finals start dates: May 19-22, depending on the length of the second-round series.
• NBA Finals start date: Thursday, June 6 will be Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals. Sunday, June 9 will be Game 2. Game 3 will take place on Wednesday, June 12. Friday, June 14 will be Game 4.

First Round Results

Below are the full results for the first round of this year's postseason.

Eastern Conference

(1) Boston Celtics def. (8) Miami Heat in 5 games

(2) New York Knicks def. (7) Philadelphia 76ers in 6 games

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers def. (5) Orlando Magic in 7 games

(6) Indiana Pacers def. (3) Milwaukee Bucks in 6 games

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder def. (8) New Orleans Pelicans in 4 games

(2) Denver Nuggets def. (7) Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games

(3) Minnesota Timberwolves def. (6) Phoenix Suns in 4 games

(5) Dallas Mavericks def. (4) Los Angeles Clippers in 6 games

And that's everything you need to know about the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. Enjoy watching!

Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder
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SI:AM | Donovan Mitchell Saved the Cavs in Game 7
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

SI:AM | Donovan Mitchell Saved the Cavs in Game 7

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I’m not surprised Tom Brady didn’t love all the jokes at his Netflix roast. 

In today’s SI:AM: 
🏀 Cavs win Game 7
🏒 Stars win Game 7
🐎 Mystik Dan wins by a hair

He always steps up in the playoffs

When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded a king’s ransom for Donovan Mitchell in 2022, it was with games like Sunday’s Game 7 against the Orlando Magic in mind. 

Few players in the NBA can score in bunches like Mitchell can. Since he entered the league in 2017, only eight players have had more 40-point games (regular season and postseason) than Mitchell. He has had 32 40-point games in that span, more than LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. The unfortunate thing for Mitchell is that his elite scoring ability has never translated to team success. In five seasons with the Utah Jazz, his teams never advanced farther than the second round of the playoffs. In his first season in Cleveland last year, the Cavs got bounced in the first round in five games by the New York Knicks. 

But Mitchell stepped up again with two memorable performances in the series against the Magic. In Game 6, he dropped 50 points on 22-of-36 shooting. Yes, the Cavs lost the game, 103–96, but Mitchell’s big game was the only reason it was close. Cleveland got out-rebounded 48–38 and took just 10 free throws as a team, compared to 26 for Orlando. It wouldn’t have been close if Mitchell hadn’t gone off. 

The Magic’s win at home in Game 6 forced a Game 7 in Cleveland, and at halftime it looked like Mitchell’s team was destined for another early postseason exit. The Cavs trailed by as many as 18 in the first half as their offense fell completely flat. Cleveland shot 35% from the field as a team, including a dismal 2-for-11 from three. And Mitchell struggled just as badly as the rest of his teammates in the first half, hitting just three of his 13 shots, although he did go 9-for-10 from the line. 

But after halftime, the tide turned. Mitchell erupted for 17 points in the third quarter on 7-of-9 shooting and out-scored the Magic (15 points) all by himself. Max Strus, who was held scoreless in the first half, scored 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the third quarter. 

The big quarter from Mitchell and Strus (who accounted for 28 of Cleveland’s 33 points) turned a 10-point Cavs deficit into an eight-point lead. The Cavs never looked back and maintained their lead for the rest of the game, eventually winning 106–94. 

Mitchell finished with 39 points, giving him 89 points combined in the last two games of the series. That’s the second most ever in Games 6 and 7 of a playoff series, according to ESPN, trailing only the 90 scored by Allen Iverson in the 2001 Eastern Conference finals. The win also marked Cleveland’s first playoff series victory without LeBron James since 1993. 

“I’m tired of losing in the first round,” Mitchell said after the game. “You work too hard. We work too hard. That was my mindset ... for me, just be in attack mode. I’m battling through what I’m battling through, but I could battle through it and figure it out, or rehab it for the next three or four months. That’s where I'm at mentally.”

Mitchell may be tired of losing in the first round, but he’ll be a longshot to advance past the second round for the first time in his career. The Cavs’ win over the Magic set up a second-round matchup against the mighty Boston Celtics, the best team in the regular season by a wide margin. Cleveland will have a better chance of pulling off the upset if it is able to get center Jarrett Allen back on the floor. He’s missed the last three games with bruised ribs. Allen is an elite defender and rebounder who will be sorely missed if he isn’t able to go against Boston. The silver lining is that his absence on the interior won’t be felt as significantly if Celtics center Kristaps Porziņģis isn’t able to return from his calf injury. Regardless of whether Allen plays, though, the Cavs need Mitchell to keep up his historic scoring pace. 

The best of Sports Illustrated

The top five…

… things I saw yesterday: 
5. Jonny DeLuca’s walk-off hit for the Rays. 
4. Shohei Ohtani’s 10th home run of the season, which traveled a whopping 464 feet. 
3. Cole Anthony’s block at the rim on Darius Garland. 
2. Radek Faksa’s goal early in the third period that proved to be the game-winner for the Stars in Game 7. 
1. The Rangers’ crisp passing on Mika Zibanejad’s power-play goal. 

Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell, NBA, NBA Playoffs
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Little-Used Celtics Player Reacts to Cavaliers Fans Chanting 'We Want Boston'
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Little-Used Celtics Player Reacts to Cavaliers Fans Chanting ‘We Want Boston’

The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to blow the doors off the Orlando Magic on Sunday in Game 7 of their first round NBA playoffs series, which will earn them a date with the top-seeded Boston Celtics in round two. Jubiliant fans at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse spent the final minutes chanting "we want Boston" because that's just what fans do and they are entirely right to prefer the season keep going rather than end. Heck, it's not even that interesting of an event, even though the Celtics are heavy favorites to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

But Boston reserve forward Oshae Brisset found the development intriguing enough to post about, saying "hear the chants" with one of those eye-covering emojis available on X, formerly Twitter. Then he deleted it, which doesn't do much good after enough people see it.

Brisset played six minutes in the Celtics' opening round victory over the Miami Heat. He's not expected to be a major factor in the battle against Cleveland either. Or perhaps that's changed after a routine chant awakened a sleeping giant.

There are no real rules for this but it does seem like most people are already operating on the sensible plane when it comes to in-arena proclamations about wanting to play whatever team is next on the schedule. Which is that it's entirely fine. There's nothing wrong with it at all and no one is going to be the first person to, in that moment, start a "we're probably going to lose chant" because they might need a ride home from their buddy after the final buzzer. Pretty much every human who made it public that they "wanted Bama" lived to regret it. It's just something you say.

Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat
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Donovan Mitchell's Unwavering Confidence in Darius Garland Paid Off in Cavaliers' Win
5 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Donovan Mitchell’s Unwavering Confidence in Darius Garland Paid Off in Cavaliers’ Win

Darius Garland was struggling mightily in the early stages of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 106–94 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 7 on Sunday.

Through three quarters, Garland had two points on 1-of-9 shooting, two turnovers and four fouls. The Cavaliers held an eight-point lead over the Magic heading into the fourth quarter, but if they were going to send Orlando home and advance in the playoffs, they needed their second-leading scorer to step up.

Television cameras caught veteran guard Donovan Mitchell chatting with Garland on the bench during the game. His message? Keep going.

"He kept trusting me," Garland said after the game. "... It’s cool to have him in my ear telling me to keep going, stay confident in myself and that the entire team and organization believes in me. I really needed it, so it was good.”

Garland delivered when it mattered most. The Magic were hanging around, trailing by eight points with six minutes to play. Garland missed a three-pointer, but after an offensive rebound, Mitchell shoveled it over to Garland again. This time, he connected to put Cleveland up double digits.

Mitchell went over to Garland and gave him a big hug.

"To see him respond like that, when he hit that three, I knew he was back," Mitchell said. "Sometimes you just need that—second opportunity. ... That's huge. That's who he needs to be."

Garland scored 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cavaliers finish off Orlando.

Cleveland now advances to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the Boston Celtics, who finished the regular season with the NBA's best record (64–18). Game 1 between the Cavaliers and Celtics is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Tuesday at TD Garden.

Cleveland Cavaliers, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Orlando Magic
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Cavaliers Rally Past Magic to Win First Playoff Series Without LeBron James in Over Three Decades
5 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Cavaliers Rally Past Magic to Win First Playoff Series Without LeBron James in Over Three Decades

To tell the story of the Cleveland Cavaliers is—with a few exceptions—to tell the story of now-Los Angeles Lakers and former Cavaliers forward LeBron James. The NBA's longtime leading scorer was the architect of all five of the team's conference titles and every one of their playoff series wins since 1993...

...until Sunday. After going down by 18 during a nightmarish first half, Cleveland rallied past the Orlando Magic 106-94 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics.

Guard Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavaliers with 39 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while forward Paolo Banchero tallied 38 points and 16 rebounds in defeat.

The last time Cleveland advanced in a playoffs without James, it defeated the New Jersey Nets three games to two in a best-of-five first round series—losing to guard Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals.

The Magic led the Cavaliers 49-31 with 4:17 left in the first half. Orlando's blown lead is the largest in a Game 7 since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data in 1997.

Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Orlando Magic
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Magic's Paolo Banchero Quickly Breaks Scoring Record Held by LeBron James in Game 7 vs. Cavaliers
5 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Magic’s Paolo Banchero Quickly Breaks Scoring Record Held by LeBron James in Game 7 vs. Cavaliers

Though six games, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero's first playoff series has been a rousing success.

The numbers tell all: in three Magic wins and three Cleveland Cavaliers wins in the first round, Banchero has averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His play has Orlando on the cusp of its first playoff series victory since 2010.

In the first half of Game 7 Sunday, however, Banchero went to another level. The Duke product exploded for 24 points against the Cavaliers—the most by a player 21 or younger in a Game 7 in the history of the NBA.

Whose record did he break? Cleveland fans may know this one.

That's right—Cavaliers forward LeBron James scored 21 points in Game 7 of the 2006 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Detroit Pistons, which the Pistons won by the very '06 score of 79-61.

Cleveland rallied from a big first-half deficit to take the lead against the Magic, but Orlando fans will have Banchero's heroics win or lose.

Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Orlando Magic, Paolo Banchero
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