The NBA is back in action as bring you another betting prediction and pick for this upcoming cross-country showdown. The Portland Trail Blazers (23-23) will take on the Boston Celtics (28-17) as the Blazers lead the season series 1-0. Check our NBA odds series for the Blazers-Celtics prediction and pick.
The Portland Trail Blazers are ninth in the Western Conference after falling 110-98 to the Toronto Raptors. While the loss snapped a four-game winning streak, they've won nine of their last 12 games and hope to continue building momentum with another win over the Celtics.
The Boston Celtics are second in the Eastern Conference, most recently losing 114-111 against the Chicago Bulls. After posting a winning steak of their own a few weeks ago, they've stagnated with a 5-5 record over their last 10. They're on pace for a decisive win as the home favorites here.
NBA odds courtesy of DraftKings
Blazers vs. Celtics Odds
Portland Trail Blazers: +8.5 (-115)
Boston Celtics: -8.5 (-105)
Over: 224.5 (-110)
Under: 224.5 (-110)
Blazers vs. Celtics Key Injuries
Portland: Deni Avdija (back – Questionable) / Robert Williams III (knee – Questionable) / Scoot Henderson (hamstring – OUT) / Damian Lillard (achilles – OUT) / Kris Murray (back – OUT) / Duop Reath (foot – OUT) / Matisse Thybulle (knee – OUT) / Blake Wesley (foot – OUT)
Boston: Neemias Queta (illness – Questionable) / Josh Minott (ankle – OUT) / Jayson Tatum (achilles – OUT)
Blazers vs. Celtics Betting Trends
- The Boston Celtics are 13-7 at home. The Portland Trail Blazers are 10-12 on the road.
- The Celtics are as 21-10 betting favorites. The Blazers are 12-17 as underdogs.
- The Celtics are 25-20 ATS overall, 10-10 ATS at home. The Blazers are 26-19-1 ATS overall, 10-11-1 ATS on the road.
- The Celtics are 7-3 outright, 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 games against the Blazers.
- The Blazers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
- The Celtics are 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Portland's last 19 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in six of Boston's last eight games.
Keys to Blazers vs. Celtics Matchup
The Portland Trail Blazers actually took their first meeting 114-108 against the Boston Celtics, winning outright as home underdogs behind 26 points from Shaedon Sharpe. Donovan Clingan added 18 rebounds in a monstrous day on the boards, so expect him to be dominant presence in the paint for them once again. Sharpe is also averaging 24.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG over the last five games during this Blazers' run, so expect him to continue jolting this offense and keeping the game close throughout with his scoring in bunches.
The Celtics have been their own model of consistency throughout this season, but their last loss against the Chicago Bulls saw some offensive struggles amid the road trip. Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Anfernee Simons combined for 62 shot attempts, leaving the rest of the Celtics with 37 total attempts. They're at their best when working as a team around the scoring of Jaylen Brown, but they'll certainly need to avoid the lopsided totals against a Blazers' team that thrives on scoring runs.
While Shaedon Sharpe has been the main catalyst for the Blazers during this recent hot streak, veteran point guard Jrue Holiday has done a tremendous job commanding the offense with 7.1 APG. He's also leading by example on the defensive side of the ball, allowing both Sharpe and rookie Caleb Love an opportunity to grow their skill set. Behind the veteran leadership of Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard currently on the bench, the future should be bright for the Blazers' guards as they'll be their main focal point in winning this game.
The Celtics will have to figure things out from their interior with a clear weakness in their center position. Neemias Queta is still catching his offense up to his shot blocking and rebounding, but he's still a way's away from being a top center in the conference. The same can be said of Luka Garza, so the two will have to figure out how to effectively stop Clingan on the inside and Jerami Grant in the mid-range.
Blazers vs. Celtics Prediction and Pick
The Blazers' first win over the Boston Celtics was no fluke as Portland matches up particularly well against the lineup of Boston. Jrue Holiday, a world-class defender, is capable of matching up against Jaylen Brown and offering strong resistance. The Blazers are also the bigger team inside with 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan and 6-foot-9 Robert Williams III facing his former team, so expect the Blazers to keep this game close despite the wide betting spread.
The Celtics should be in a bounce-back spot following their last loss to Chicago and the betting spread could be reflective of the cross-country road trip for Portland to Boston. Still, the Blazers have shown a ton of resolves over their recent games and they've managed to claw back in the second half time and time again. Let's roll with their momentum to continue as they should at least cover the spread in a close game.
Final Blazers-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Portland Trail Blazers +8.5 (-115); OVER 224.5 (-110)
