Celtics vs. Cavaliers odds, score prediction, time: 2024 NBA playoff ...

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics open their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series on Tuesday. The top-seeded Celtics (64-18) knocked out Miami in five games in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, while the fourth-seeded Cavaliers (48-34) earned a 4-3 series win over Orlando. Boston has dominated play within the conference, going 45-12 so far in 2023-24. Meanwhile, Cleveland is 35-24 against the East, including the postseason. Kristaps Porzingis (calf) is out for Boston, while Cleveland lists Jarrett Allen (rib) as questionable.

The game from TD Garden in Boston will tip off at 7 p.m. ET. Boston is averaging 107.8 points per game this postseason, sixth-best in the NBA, while Cleveland averages 95.9, 14th-best. The Celtics are 12.5-point favorites in the latest Cavaliers vs. Celtics odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 211.5. Before making any Celtics vs. Cavaliers picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the conference semifinals in the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 94-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Cavs and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NBA betting lines and trends for Cavs vs. Celtics:

Celtics vs. Cavaliers spread: Boston -12.5Celtics vs. Cavaliers over/under: 211.5 pointsCeltics vs. Cavaliers money line: Cleveland +506, Boston -714CLE: Has hit the fourth quarter game total under in 27 of its last 39 away games (+15.60 units)BOS: Has have covered the first-half spread in 62 of its last 90 games (+30.20 units)Celtics vs. Cavaliers picks: See picks at SportsLineWhy the Celtics can cover

Forward Jayson Tatum has registered one triple-double and three double-doubles already this postseason. In Game 1 against Miami on April 21, Tatum scored 23 points, while dishing out 10 assists and grabbing 10 rebounds. In Wednesday's close-out win over the Heat, he scored 16 points, while grabbing 12 rebounds. He was dominant during the regular season against Cleveland. In three games against the Cavs, he averaged 26 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in 38.3 minutes.

With Porzingis expected to miss the series with a calf injury, center Al Horford will be called on for a bigger role against Cleveland. In five postseason games, Horford is averaging eight points, seven rebounds and 1.8 assists in 25.6 minutes. In the Game 1 win over Miami, he scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 26 minutes. For his career, Horford is averaging 13.1 points, eight rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 31.8 minutes. See which team to pick here. 

Why the Cavaliers can cover 

Shooting guard Donovan Mitchell had quite the series in the seven-game victory over the Orlando Magic. In seven starts, Mitchell averaged 28.7 points, five rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 37.4 minutes. He scored 23 or more points in five of the seven games, including a 50-point performance in the 103-96 Game 6 loss at Orlando. He nearly registered a double-double in the Game 7 win, a 106-94 triumph on Sunday. In that game, Mitchell scored 39 points, grabbed nine rebounds and added five assists, one block and one steal in a series-high 45 minutes.

Point guard Darius Garland has played well this postseason. In seven games, he is averaging 14.9 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and one steal in 34.3 minutes. He scored 23 points, while adding five assists and five rebounds in a pivotal 104-103 Game 5 win over the Magic on April 30. He also made his presence felt during the regular season against Boston. In three games, he averaged 20.3 points, seven assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 36.7 minutes. See which team to pick here. 

How to make Cavaliers vs. Celtics picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 216 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick where one side has all of the value. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Celtics vs. Cavaliers, and which side of the spread has all of the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cavaliers vs. Celtics spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,800 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.