The San Antonio Spurs travel East to square off with the Boston Celtics. This game will continue our NBA odds series with a Spurs-Celtics prediction and a pick. We will also tell you how to watch the game Sunday.
The Spurs are having an awful season. With just 19 wins, they have the third-fewest victories in the entire NBA. In their last 10 games, San Antonio is 3-7 and has lost three in a row In their last game, the Spurs lost to the Washington Wizards by 12. The game Sunday ends their four-game road trip, and a loss to the Celtics will send them home winless.
The Celtics come into this one in second place in the Eastern Conference. They have a playoff spot already clinched, and they are trying to catch Milwaukee for the top spot. They trail the Bucks by two games but lead Philadelphia by two games. Last time out, the Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers by 25 points. That was their second straight win by more than 20 points, and they have a real chance at adding a third on Sunday.
These two teams played each other in January with the Celtics narrowly escaping with a 121-116 win.
Here are the Spurs-Celtics NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Spurs-Celtics Odds
San Antonio Spurs: +16 (-110)
Boston Celtics: -16 (-110)
Over: 232.5 (-110)
Under: 232.5 (-110)
How To Watch Spurs vs. Celtics
TV: Bally Sports Southwest, NBC Sports Boston
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 6 PM ET/3 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread
The Spurs are riddled with injuries and players out, so they will have to rely on some role players in this game. Zach Collins and Devin Vassell will be expected to carry the load, if the Spurs are without some of their better players. Keldon Johnson is questionable for the game, while Jeremy Sochan has been ruled out. Without those two, the Spurs' offense takes a massive hit. Devonte' Graham is averaging 14.8 points for the Spurs, while Tre Jones leads the team with 6.4 assists per game. Collins leads the team in rebounding and Vassell is the second-leading scorer.
Graham and Vassell combine for almost six triples a game, and Doug McDermott shoots over 40 percent from deep. The Celtics do not allow a lot of 3-pointers, but if these three players can get hot from deep, anything can happen. It is going to be tough if they are without Johnson, but some streaky shooting can keep them within 15.
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
The Celtics come into this one giving up just 111.4 points per game in their last 10. In those games, they put up 120 points per game. Defense is what will help Boston cover this spread. They have been scoring, but it will come down to them being able to hold the Spurs down. Boston ranks in the top 10 in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage, opponent 3-point percentage, opponent points per game, and blocks. They have a good opportunity to give up under 110 in the game Sunday.
Jaylen Brown will be available, but Jayson Tatum is questionable for the game. Brown has played 24 games without Tatum in his career and scores over 27 points per game in those situations. Missing Tatum would not be too much of a worry for the Celtics in terms of getting the win, though it could hurt their ability to cover a truly massive spread.
Final Spurs-Celtics Prediction & Pick
The Spurs are just 6-30 on the road, and the Celtics have two straight wins of 20-plus points. With the Spurs missing a lot of players, expect Boston to roll straight through this one. If Keldon Johnson plays and Jayson Tatum does not, it could be a different story, though the Celtics should win easily either way.
Final Spurs-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Celtics -16 (-110), Under 232.5 (-110)
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