Boston Celtics (20-12) vs. Sacramento Kings (8-25)
January 1, 2026 10:00 pm EDT
The Line: Sacramento Kings +9.5; Over/Under: 227.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Boston Celtics pay a visit to the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center on Thursday night. Here’s a Kings vs Celtics Prediction. This article will include a Kings vs Celtics Pick.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics have been on a tear as they’ve won 10 of their last 13 games overall and they will be eager to stay hot after running past the Jazz in a 129-119 road win on Tuesday. Derrick White led the team with 27 points, seven rebounds, and six assists on eight of 16 shooting. Jaylen Brown added 23 points with 10 assists, Anfernee Simons provided the spark off the bench with 20 points, while Payton Pritchard chipped in with 18 points and six assists. As a team, the Celtics shot 51 percent from the field and 13 of 44 from the 3-point line as they withstood an early barrage from the Jazz to trail going into halftime. Before the Celtics caught fire and exploded for 70 points in the second half thanks to plenty of support from their bench players who outscored the Jazz’s bench by 17. 43-26.
Sacramento Kings Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings have been in a major slump as they’ve lost 12 of their last 15 games overall and they will be hoping to bounce back here after getting smashed by the resurgent Clippers in a 131-90 road defeat on Tuesday. Nique Clifford led the team in scoring with 18 points on seven of 12 shooting off the bench, Maxime Raynaud and Russell Westbrook each scored 12 points while Keegan Murray and Dennis Schroder chipped in with 11 points apiece. As a team, the Kings shot just 41 percent from the field and nine of 27 from the 3-point line as they failed to match the Clippers from the tipoff. They were never in the contest after getting outscored by 73-40 in a nightmare of a first half. DeMar DeRozan had a night to forget as he finished with just eight points on two of eight shooting in 28 minutes of action.
Why the Sacramento Kings will win
- The Celtics have lost each of their last four games as road favorites following a road win.
- The Kings have won each of their last two games as home underdogs following a loss.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the Kings’ last five games.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five road games following a road win.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The Celtics have won 12 of their last 13 night games against Western Conference opponents that held a losing record.
- The Kings have lost each of their last nine games as home underdogs following a road loss.
- The Kings have failed to cover the spread in each of their last nine games as home underdogs following a road loss.
- The road team has covered the spread in each of the last five games between the Celtics and Kings.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Kings’ last seven games on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of the Celtics’ last six road games following a road win have gone UNDER the total points line.
Sacramento Kings Player Facts
- Russell Westbrook ranks 4th in the Western Conference amongst qualified players for assists per game (7.0) this season.
- Keegan Murray is one of only eight players in the league to have recorded 4+ blocks in consecutive games this season.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Neemias Queta ranks 1st in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for FG% (66.2%) this season.
- Derrick White is one of only two players in the league to have recorded 7+ blocks in a game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Kings rank 30th in the league for opponent field goal percentage this season (49.7%).
- The Kings rank 30th in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (10.6).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent steals per game this season (5.6).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for turnovers per game this season (12.2).
Kings vs Celtics Prediction
The Celtics are still missing Jayson Tatum, and they have Chris Boucher listed as questionable, while the Kings have already ruled out Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis again. The Celtics open as clear favorites as they’ve been one of the hottest teams in the league with 10 wins from their past 13 games, while the Kings have continued their downward spiral with another blowout defeat on Tuesday. The Kings have looked particularly bad in their last two games, both blowout defeats, and I think that trend continues here as the Celtics catch fire from the perimeter to win easily on the road.
