The Philadelphia 76ers visit TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. The nationally televised game pits Atlantic Division rivals against one another, with both teams vying for playoff positioning. Philadelphia and Boston are both 11-10 through 21 games this season, navigating injury-related absences along the way. Jaylen Brown (reconditioning) is listed as questionable for Boston. Ben Simmons (personal) and Grant Riller (shoulder) remain out for Philadelphia.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Boston as a 2.5-point home favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 206 in the latest odds. Before you make any 76ers vs. Celtics picks and NBA predictions, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
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 7 of the 2021-22 NBA season up over $1,500 on all top-rated NBA picks this season. It’s also on a stunning 117-77 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 76ers vs. Celtics. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Celtics vs. Sixers:
- 76ers vs. Celtics spread: Celtics -2.5
- 76ers vs. Celtics over-under: 206 points
- 76ers vs. Celtics money line: BOS -140, PHI +120
- Philadelphia: The 76ers are 10-11 against the spread in the last 21 games
- Boston: The Celtics are 11-9-1 against the spread this season
Featured Game | Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
What the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia’s offense is impressive in its efficiency, and the 76ers have been even better when the roster is approaching full strength. Philadelphia is scoring more than 1.1 points per possession this season, shooting nearly 46 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three-point distance. The 76ers also make gains in ball security, committing only 12.6 turnovers per game, and Philadelphia doesn’t beat itself at the free throw line in making 81.7 percent of attempts.
Boston is a bottom-five team in free throw prevention, and that could swing things to Philadelphia on the margins. On the opposite side, the 76ers are above-average in free throw prevention, and well above-average in blocked shots (5.9 per game) and steals (8.1 per game). Boston is also just 25th in the NBA in shooting efficiency this season.
Why the Celtics can cover
Of the four core units involved in this game, Boston’s defense is the best. The Celtics are allowing only 104.9 points per 100 possessions this season, ranking in the top five of the NBA in defensive rating. Boston is limiting opponents to 43.5 percent shooting, and opponents are producing just 21.5 assists per game against the Celtics. Ime Udoka’s team is also in the top eight of the NBA in defensive rebounding, grabbing 74.7 percent of available rebounds after missed shots, and Boston is No. 3 in the league in second-chance points allowed (11.4 per game).
The Celtics also excel in making life difficult on opponents and making the opposition earn baskets in difficult ways. Boston is in the top 10 of the league in fast break points allowed (11.6 per game) and No. 6 in the league in points allowed in the paint (43.0 per game). The Celtics also protect the rim at a high level with 5.6 blocked shots per game, and the 76ers are currently in the bottom five of the NBA in offensive rebound rate at 24.4 percent this season.
