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The Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets square off once again for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Saturday. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Celtics-Nets prediction and pick we have laid out below.
The Celtics held down homecourt by winning 114-107 in Game 2 to follow up a thrilling Game 1 victory where Jayson Tatum made the iconic game-winning layup. Game 2, however, saw Boston overcome an early punch from Brooklyn, which raced out to a 9-0 lead in the first quarter and led by as much as 17 points in the second. The Celtics used a complete team effort, with seven of the eight players who played scoring in double figures. Jaylen Brown led the C's in scoring with 22 points, while Tatum added 19 points, though on just 5-of-16 shooting.
Boston's defense came up big in this game, as they held Kyrie Irving to just 10 points and Kevin Durant to just 4-of-17 shooting. KD still finished with 27 points, with 18 of them coming from the free-throw line. But his sour night from the field indicated just how tough of a time he had versus Boston's stingy defense. Bruce Brown carried the slack for Irving's off-night, scoring 23 points, while Goran Dragic added 18 off the bench.
Here is how Fanduel has set the Celtics-Nets NBA Playoffs odds for this Saturday night NBA matchup.
NBA Playoffs Odds: Celtics-Nets Odds
Boston Celtics: +3.5 (-110)
Brooklyn Nets: -3.5 (-110)
Over: 222.5 (-110)
Under: 222.5 (-110)
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Why the Celtics could cover the spread
Defense has been Boston's main identity since the calendar flipped to 2022. And they've had Kevin Durant in jail through two games so far in this series. Though he's averaging 25.0 points, KD is shooting just 31.7 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three. Boston has seemed content to let everybody else other than Durant beat them and with this game plan, their chances of taking a commanding 3-0 lead in this series are as good as anyone.
And if we thought Boston's defense was already stifling through these two games, it could get even better with Robert Williams potentially coming back from a torn meniscus in Game 3. The Celtics have listed Williams as questionable ahead of Saturday.
Veteran center Al Horford has also turned back the clock in this series as well. The 35-year-old is averaging 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds through two games and has done a tremendous job anchoring the defense in Williams' absence.
It's just a 3.5-point spread and with this series being close for the most part, anything could happen. If Jayson Tatum is able to duplicate his 31-point performance in Game 1 this Saturday, things could go dim for the Nets in Game 3.
Why the Nets could cover the spread
While Durant hasn't looked great for the most part, it's still tough to count him out completely. KD is arguably the best offensive cheat code in the history of the game because of his unique skill set. With that, there is always a chance he could go off and completely take apart Boston's defense with his elite shot-making. If Durant's shots begin to drop, there is a good chance for Brooklyn to finally put their stamp on this series.
Kyrie Irving had a quiet Game 2, scoring just 10 points. But as we know, he is capable of exploding on any given night, just as he did in the series opener, where he dropped 39 points with six three-pointers.
Brooklyn still won't have Ben Simmons back for Game 3. But we could very well see him in the next game.
The Nets have one of the most potent offenses in the NBA. Though Boston has had their number so far, their shooting could easily bring them back in this series. Even if Boston is up 2-0, looking at the series from a wider lens, the Nets haven't been completely outplayed. Game 1 ended on a game-winner, while in Game 2, the Nets held a 17-point lead at one point. If the Nets are able to execute for 48 minutes and not let up when they have the advantage, they should be able to get a much-needed Game 3 win.
Final Celtics-Nets Prediction & Pick
This is tough since the series has been close for the most part. But I'll go with the Nets on this one in their home playoff opener. Look for them to come out firing, the same way they did in Game 2. With Brooklyn basically in a must-win situation, also look for them to sustain that level of play throughout the game and execute a better offensive game plan to counter Boston's defense.
Final Celtics-Nets Prediction & Pick: Nets: -4 (-110)
