The Boston Celtics will begin their post-All-Star break schedule with a showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be a battle at the Wells Fargo Center as we continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-76ers prediction and pick.
The Celtics lead the head-to-head series 271-198. Additionally, the Celtics are 7-3 over their past 10 games against the Sixers, including 3-2 over five showdowns in Philadelphia. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 118-110 in their last game, on February 2 at the Wells Fargo Center. Before that, the Sixers defeated the Celtics 118-114 at the TD Garden on Christmas Day.
Here are the Celtics-76ers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Celtics-76ers Odds
Boston Celtics: -8 (-110)
Moneyline: -330
Philadelphia 76ers: +8 (-110)
Moneyline: +265
Over: 224.5 (-110)
Under: 224.5 (-110)
How To Watch Celtics vs. 76ers
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: TNT + truTV
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Why the Celtics Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Celtics struggled initially in their win over the Sixers, trailing 29-21 after the first quarter and 61-44 at halftime. Then, the comeback began with a solid third quarter. Finally, the Celtics completed the rally with a monster fourth quarter, coming all the way back from a 26-point deficit to stun the 76ers in front of their fans.
Jayson Tatum was the hero in this game, leading the way with 35 points and 11 assists while shooting 13 for 20 from the field, including 5 for 8 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown added 21 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 9 for 17 from the floor. Kristaps Porzingis also had an efficient game, scoring 18 points, while Derrick White had 17 points.
The Celtics shot 50 percent from the field, including 42.9 percent from the triples. Also, their defense held the Sixers to 45.1 percent, including 46.9 percent from beyond the arc, and that helped fuel the comeback. Creating turnovers was an issue as the Celtics only had three steals. Yet, they made up for this with eight blocked shots.
What really sparked the comeback was the Celtics’ ability to tighten up and adjust. At first, it was not a good showing for them, as the Celtics struggled to stop the 76ers, similar to what happened on Christmas Day. But the Celtics made adjustments and figured it out.
The Celtics will cover the spread if Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, and White can continue to shoot the ball well and create scoring chances. Then, they must defend the three-point shot and prevent the Sixers from doing anything.
Why the 76ers Could Cover the Spread/Win
Joe Embiid has missed a lot of time this season, and it is one reason why the 76ers have struggled. Despite the numerous games he missed, he played in both against the Celtics, including the last game.
When the Sixers defeated the Celtics on Christmas Day, they did it by maintaining their momentum and not letting the Celtics overtake them. Significantly, they led 30-25 after the first quarter and 66-58 at halftime. A bad third quarter made this a tie game heading into the final quarter. However, the 76ers pushed through with a good fourth quarter to win.
Tyrese Maxey led the way with 33 points and 12 assists while shooting 12 for 23. Additionally, he also made all six free-throw attempts. Embiid had 27 points and nine rebounds while shooting 8 for 15. Likewise, he made all seven of his free-throw attempts. Paul George was not the best from the field, scoring 12 points while shooting 4 for 15. Yet, like Maxey and Embiid, he made all four of his free-throw attempts. Guershcon Yabusele came off the bench to score 12 points.
The 76ers shot 46.6 percent from the floor, including 42.6 percent from the three-point line. Also, they held the Celtics to 45.3 percent from the field, including 40.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Sixers finished with a remarkable 100 percent mark (19 for 19) from the free-throw line. Despite losing the board battle 51-39, the Sixers still made up for this with 10 steals and five blocked shots.
The 76ers will cover the spread if they can maintain a good shooting pace while also hitting their free-throw attempts. Then, they must defend the perimeter and not allow Tatum and Brown to do too much damage.
Final Celtics-76ers Prediction & Pick
The Celtics are 23-31-1 against the spread, while the 76ers are 19-33-2 against the spread. Moreover, the Celtics are 13-14-1 against the spread on the road, while the Sixers are 9-17-1 against the spread at home. The Celtics are 17-20 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the 76ers are 14-20 against the spread when facing the East.
The Celtics are the best road team in the NBA, while the 76ers have not been a good team at all. Therefore, I think the Celtics will pull off another win and do more than enough to go into Philadelphia and cover the spread.
Final Celtics-76ers Prediction & Pick:
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