Subscribe
Follow Us
The Boston Celtics (54-24) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (51-27) on Tuesday night! Action tips off at 8:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-76ers prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Celtics-76ers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Celtics-76ers Odds
Boston Celtics: +2 (-110)
Philadelphia 76ers: -2 (-110)
Over: 227.5 (-110)
Under: 227.5 (-110)
How To Watch Celtics vs. 76ers
TV: TNT
Stream: TNT Live
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
Last 10 & Standing: 7-3 (Second in the East)
ATS Record: 42-36 (54%)
Over Record: 40-36-2 (53%)
Boston is essentially locked into the second seed in the East as they are two games back of Milwaukee and three up on Philadelphia. That being said, there is still an outside chance the Celtics could surpass the Bucks and thus they should be highly motivated to bring their A-game tonight. Additionally, the underdog Celtics have a great chance to cover considering they've won each of the last four matchups with the 76ers dating back to January 2022. Considering Boston won five of their last six coming into tonight, it is safe to assume they aren't taking their foot off the pedal with four games remaining.
Article Continues Below
The Celtics could be without a major piece tonight as Jaylen Brown is questionable. That being said, they feature one of the deepest rosters in the NBA and are well-equipped to replace Brown's production in a regular season matchup. Guards Malcolm Brogan and Derrick White would be the biggest beneficiaries if Brown were to miss. In games Brown was inactive, Brogdon averaged 19.4 PPG while White chipped in 18.5 PPG and 6.2 APG. White in particular is an interesting player prop to look at. Coming off a 17-point night against the Jazz, the combo guard could be in for another near-20-point night.
Regardless of Brown's status, Jayson Tatum figures to be a huge factor in tonight's affair. Tatum has been up and down over the second half of the year but he still finds himself in the midst of an exceptional season. Tatum averages 30.3 PPG for the season but has been held to just 21.7 PPG against the 76ers. That being said, Tatum has shown the ability to take things up a level when Brown misses time. In 11 games without him, Tatum averaged 32.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 5.3 APG. Additionally, he is coming off back-to-back monster performances, with 40 points against the Bucks and 39 against the Jazz.
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
Last 10 & Standing: 5-5 (Third in the East)
ATS Record: 45-32-1 (58%)
Over Record: 41-35-2 (54%)
Similar to their opponents tonight, Philly is almost certainly locked into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. That being said, the 76ers hold just a 2.5-game lead over the fourth-place Cavaliers. With each of their remaining four games coming against would-be playoff teams, the 76ers will likely be highly motivated to win outright tonight and lock down that No. 3 seed. However, Philly hasn't beaten Boston in over a full calendar year. That encompasses three games this season including their most recent 110-107 home loss.
Philadelphia hit somewhat of a rough patch with four losses in their last six games. That being said, three of those losses came during a brutal Western Conference road trip. For the season, Philly has been borderline dominant at home. Their 28-11 home record ranks seventh in the league while their 63% home cover rate ranks second. However, the 76ers have yet to beat the Celtics with James Harden on the roster – something they'll need to figure out with a potential second-round playoff matchup looming.
The 76ers go as far as Joel Embiid takes them. The towering big man is in the midst of arguably his best season yet as he leads the league in scoring with 33.0 PPG. He's been a force on the glass as his 10.2 RPG ranks seventh. Perhaps the most impactful part of Embiid's game has been his efficiency. The seven-footer shoots 54% from the floor and 86% from the free-throw line. While that efficiency has been lacking in recent games, Embiid put up exceptional numbers in his three prior matchups with Boston. He averaged 31.7 PPG and 11.3 RPG against the Celtics and with the MVP race winding down tonight presents an excellent opportunity to lock down his first MVP. He is the odds-on favorite at -200 to win MVP but a lot can happen with four games remaining.
Final Celtics-76ers Prediction & Pick
Pay close attention to the status of Jaylen Brown. If Brown plays, this is a great spot for the Celtics to cover as underdogs. If he is unable to go then Embiid should power the 76ers to an easy W.
Final Celtics-76ers Prediction & Pick: Boston Celtics +2 (-110)
