The Boston Celtics will attempt to sweep the first-round series as they take on the Brooklyn Nets in Game 4 on Monday. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-Nets prediction and pick.

 

The Celtics defeated the Nets 109-103 in Game 3 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Jayson Tatum had a monster game with 39 points. He went 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, cementing all his opportunities from the charity line. Additionally, Jaylen Brown scored 23 points, shooting 9 for 16. Marcus Smart chipped in 14 points with six assists for the Celtics. The bench combined for 21 points as the starters did a majority of the work in this battle. Also, Robert Williams returned to the lineup and played minor minutes. Expect him to have a larger impact as the playoffs progress.

For the Nets, Bruce Brown scored 26 points with eight rebounds to lead the way. Comparatively, Kevin Durant added 16 points with eight rebounds. Kyrie Irving also had 16 points but missed all seven shots from beyond the arc. Conversely, Andre Drummond managed only two points in Game 3 and was not effective on the boards. He had four rebounds in Game 3 and only has 11 combined for the series.

Turnovers were the difference as the Celtics turned 21 takeaways into 37 points. Likewise, Tatum had six of the 13 steals orchestrated by the Celtics. Boston held Durant to 11 shots throughout the game. Moreover, it was the same story from Game 2, where Boston limited Durant and Irving to one basket combined in the second half of that contest. The Nets cut the deficit to three with over a minute left in the third. However, Smart answered back with a shot and then a jumper in transition. Brown followed with a steal and a statement-dunk to make it 81-72 at the end of three.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Celtics-Nets odds:

NBA Odds: Celtics-Nets Odds

Celtics: +1.5 (-110)

Nets: -1.5 (-110)

Over: 220 (-110)

Under: 220 (-110)

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Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread

Boston has contained Kevin Durant like no team has been able to. Now, Boston hopes to send Durant, Irving, and the Nets home with a sweep. The key to finishing the sweep is to finish what they started. Consequently, they have won the battle on the boards. Williams is back and that should give them a boost down low. Moreover, he helps a squad that was already dominating without him. This gives the Celtics more wiggle room for deploying their lineup against the Nets.

Likewise, Boston has succeeded because it has forced Brooklyn to play from behind. The Celtics have run out of the gate in all three games, building leads early and making the Nets play on their heels. It will be pivotal to repeat the process and put Brooklyn in another uncomfortable situation. The Celtics' ability to contain Durant and Irving has been remarkable. Often, one of those all-stars would score 32 points a game. However, the Celtics held the pair to 32 combined in Game 3. By forcing others to beat them, the Celtics have outlined the road map for playing the Nets and are making a case for themselves as a championship contender early in the playoffs.

Brown and Tatum are the stars of the Celtics. Equally, they have given Boston the jolt it needed to control the game and hand it off to other players. The Celtics will cover the spread if they win the battle on the boards. In addition to rebounding, Boston must force Brooklyn to play from behind and contain Durant and Irving. The Celtics will accomplish this by unleashing Brown and Tatum on the Nets.

Why The Nets Could Cover The Spread

Brooklyn has Durant and Irving on their side, and a team with those two talents will find a way to avoid a sweep. For all of the preseason hype, this is the time to shine for a much-maligned Nets team. The all-star duo must find a way to get past the ferocious Boston defense and hot open shots. Brooklyn needs to do its job on the other end.

Brown and Tatum have destroyed the Nets in this series. Brooklyn must find ways to contain this dynamic dup and give its stars a chance to punch back. Also, the Brooklyn bench must continue to contribute and outscore Boston's bench. However, the number one way the Nets can cover is by not allowing the Celtics to steal the ball from them.

The Nets will cover the spread if Durant and Irving rise to the challenge. Additionally, Brooklyn must contain Brown and Tatum on the other end. This will put the bench in a better situation. Lastly, the Nets must avoid turning the ball over.

Final Celtics-Nets Prediction & Pick

The season is on the line for the Nets. Furthermore, many thought the talent alone would propel the Nets to the later rounds of the NBA playoffs. But they ran into a Celtics team that has outplayed them at every turn and made the right moves throughout the series. Now, the Nets will have to look deep inside themselves to snag this victory and send the series back to Boston. The feeling here is that the Nets are too talented to allow Boston to sweep them. Thus, the Nets will cover the spread and send it back to Bean Town.

Final Celtics-Nets Prediction & Pick: Nets -1.5 (-110)