The Phoenix Suns welcome the Boston Celtics to the Footprint Center for a prime-time matchup on Friday. The Suns and Celtics will face off in the final game of a jam-packed Friday NBA schedule. Boston is 13-13 this season, with Phoenix entering at 20-4 in 2021-22. Jaylen Brown (hamstring) is out for Boston, with Devin Booker (hamstring), Frank Kaminsky (knee) and Abdel Nader (knee) out for Phoenix.
Tipoff is at 10 p.m. ET in Phoenix. Caesars Sportsbook lists Phoenix as the 5.5-point favorite at home, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 216.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Suns odds. Before locking in any Suns vs. Celtics picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 8 of the 2021-22 NBA season up almost $2,000 on all top-rated NBA picks this season. It’s also on a stunning 121-78 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread that dates back to last season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Suns vs. Celtics and just locked in its NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Celtics vs. Suns:
- Suns vs. Celtics spread: Suns -5.5
- Suns vs. Celtics over-under: 216.5 points
- Suns vs. Celtics money line: Suns -230, Celtics +190
- Boston: The Celtics are 13-12-1 against the spread this season
- Phoenix: The Suns are 12-12 against the spread in 2021-22
Featured Game | Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is led by Jayson Tatum, and the excellent two-way forward is putting up 25.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. The Celtics are above-average in taking care of the ball on offense, committing a turnover on only 13.8 percent of possessions, and Boston is the No. 1 team in the NBA in free-throw accuracy at 82.2 percent. The Celtics take advantage of that strength with a top-six mark in free-throw frequency, and Phoenix is just No. 28 in blocked shots, which could provoke Boston into increased aggression.
On defense, the Celtics are playing well, holding opponents to 1.07 points per possession and 44.2 percent shooting. Boston is a top-eight team in defensive rebound rate (73.9 percent) and second-chance points allowed (11.9 per game), with Phoenix near the bottom of the NBA in offensive rebounding. The Celtics also wall off the paint, allowing only 43.5 points in the paint per game, and Boston is No. 2 in the league in allowing opponents to produce only 21.7 assists per contest.
Why the Suns can cover
Phoenix is a two-way monster this season. The Suns are fantastic on defense, allowing only 1.04 points per possession and leading the league in 2-point resistance. With Boston struggling a bit on offense, Phoenix certainly has a path to defensive success, especially if the Suns can match their turnover creation average of 15.9 takeaways per game. On offense, the Suns are putting up 110.2 points per 100 possessions, with a top-three mark in shooting efficiency.
Phoenix is shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from 3-point range, with the Suns also averaging 26.1 assists per contest. The Suns take care of the ball, committing a turnover on only 13.6 percent of possessions, and Phoenix ranks in the top six of the league in averaging 48.6 points in the paint per game. Phoenix is not a traditionally high-volume free-throw shooting team, but the Clippers are just No. 25 in the NBA in free-throw prevention, opening the door to additional trips to the charity stripe.
How to make Celtics vs. Suns picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, with the teams projected to combine for 214 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Suns vs. Celtics? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
