Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Picks and Prediction for Sunday March 8 2026
Use Code WWWC In the first game of a Sunday NBA on ABC doubleheader, the Boston Celtics will battle the Cleveland Cavaliers from Rocket Arena. The Celtics have been playing well of late, winning four of their last five games. Boston boasts an overall record of 42 wins and 21 losses. The Cavaliers have won three of their previous five games to move their overall record to 39 wins and 24 losses. Read more about this Boston vs Cleveland prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try our NBA Predictions!
- Game day: Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Game time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio
- Arena: Rocket Arena
- TV channel: ABC
Boston back to being a serious title contender
The Boston Celtics were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs a season ago and lost All-Star F Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury. Many experts thought this would be a gap year for the Celtics, but Tatum returned to action on Friday after missing just ten months of action. Boston ranks second in the league in offensive efficiency by Hollinger's NBA Team Statistics and averages 114.5 points per contest. The Celtics are ten games above .500 on the road and four games back of Detroit for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. On Friday, Boston outrebounded Dallas by 13 during a 120-100 home victory.
Jayson Tatum tallied 15 points (6-16 FG), 12 rebounds, and seven assists in 27 minutes of action. All-Star G Jaylen Brown has become one of the league’s best two-way players and ranks sixth in the league in scoring 28.8 points per game. Derrick White is a steady force for the Celtics with 17.4 points and 5.7 assists. Payton Pritchard (16.9 ppg) provides instant offense off the Boston bench.
Key Injury Report for Boston:
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- Jordan Walsh (DTD) - illness
- Nikola Vucevic (out) - finger
Cleveland is built to win now
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons and are aggressively pursuing their first title since 2016. The Cavaliers landed James Harden at the trade deadline to give Donovan Mitchell another playmaker. Cleveland ranks fifth in the league in offensive efficiency by Hollinger's NBA Team Statistics and is scoring a shade below 120 points per contest. Cleveland has won 21 of their first 32 home games and are sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. On Tuesday, Cleveland made a statement with a 113-109 home victory versus Eastern Conference leading Detroit.
All-Star G Donovan Mitchell ranks seventh in the league in scoring (28.5 ppg) to go along with 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds. James Harden averaged 19.1 points and is fourth in the NBA in assists (7.9). Evan Mobley provides plenty of defensive versatility for the Cavaliers and is a capable scorer (17.6 ppg). Cleveland C Jarrett Allen controls the interior with 15.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Key Injury Report for Cleveland:
- Dean Wade (out) - ankle
- Donovan Mitchell (DTD) - groin
- Jarrett Allen (out) - knee
- Max Strus (out) - foot
Boston vs Cleveland Pick
Boston vs Cleveland Spread Pick
- Pick: Boston Celtics Spread
These two teams have met twice this season with Boston winning by 20 at home and by two on the road. This was supposed to be a gap year for the Celtics, but they have exceeded expectations and are 37-26 ATS. Boston is even more profitable on the road (21-11 ATS) and has covered by an average of 5.6 points. Cleveland is still figuring things out with Harden and Mitchell. Take Boston to win and cover.
Boston vs Cleveland Over/Under Pick
- Pick: Under
Boston ranks sixth in the league in defensive efficiency and the Cavaliers rank 11th in that category. The Celtics play at the slowest tempo in the league and both teams are heavily reliant on the three-point shot. The Cavaliers are 30-33 O/U and the Celtics are the most profitable under team in the league with a 22-41 O/U record. Take the under.
Final Score Prediction: Boston Celtics win 111-103
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