The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics meet Sunday in NBA Game 1 at the TD Garden. Here’s a Celtics vs. 76ers Prediction. This article will include a Celtics vs. 76ers Pick.
Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers just beat the Magic in the play-in to advance to the playoffs. The 76ers have won 7 of their last 11 games.
The Philadelphia 76ers are averaging 117.3 points on 46.2 percent shooting and allowing 117.5 points on 46.7 percent shooting. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.3 points and 6.6 assists, while Joel Embiid is averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds. Paul George is the third double-digit scorer, and VJ Edgecombe is grabbing 5.6 rebounds. The Philadelphia 76ers are shooting 34.9 percent from beyond the arc and 80.9 percent from the free-throw line. The Philadelphia 76ers are allowing 35.3 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 44.2 rebounds per game.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics recently beat the Pelicans and Magic. The Celtics have won 31 of their last 42 games.
The Boston Celtics are averaging 116.3 points on 46.7 percent shooting and allowing 108.5 points on 44.2 percent shooting. Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.7 points and 6.9 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.8 points and 10 rebounds. Payton Pritchard is the third double-digit scorer, and Derrick White is grabbing 4.4 rebounds. The Boston Celtics are shooting 36.7 percent from beyond the arc and 80.7 percent from the free throw line. The Boston Celtics are allowing 35.8 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 46.9 rebounds per game.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The Celtics have won 17 of their last 18 day games at TD Garden.
- The 76ers have lost each of their last 11 Sunday games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
- The Celtics have covered the spread in each of their last six home games.
- The 76ers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six day games.
Why the Philadelphia 76ers will win
- The underdogs have won each of the 76ers’ last three playoff games.
- The Celtics have lost three of their last four playoff games as favorites following a win.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games against the 76ers after winning as underdogs.
- The 76ers have covered the spread in nine of their last 11 road games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Celtics’ last 10 Sunday games has gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the 76ers’ last seven games as underdogs has gone UNDER the total points line.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Baylor Scheierman ranks 14th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (39.9%) this season.
Philadelphia 76ers Player Facts
- Tyrese Maxey ranks 1st in the league for fast break points (382) this season.
- Andre Drummond has recorded 11+ rebounds in three consecutive appearances—the equal-longest active streak of any player in the league.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent points per game this season (107.2).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent steals per game this season (6.2).
- The 76ers rank 29th in the league for assists per game this season (24.6).
- The 76ers rank 29th in the league for Q3 points per game this season (27.3).
Celtics vs 76ers Injury Report
The Celtics don’t have any players listed on their injury report.
The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid.
Celtics vs 76ers Prediction
I’m not a fan of laying double-digit chalk in the playoffs, as these games are supposed to be competitive. However, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, when the Celtics are expected to win big, they do. Since January 1, the Celtics are 11-3 ATS as a double-digit favorite. It’s to the point where you just trust the number and assume the leprechauns will show up.
The 76ers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a double-digit underdog. The Celtics overall this season are 49-32-1 ATS, so they’ve been one of the top money-makers for us all year. Thick line, but I’m going to trust the numbers and side with the Celtics in a blowout.