The Eastern Conference’s top two clash in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, when the table-topping 76ers welcome second-placed Boston Celtics to the Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The big storyline surrounds Philly new boy Jaylen Brown taking on his former side and once partner in crime Jayson Tatum for the first time, while both teams also know this is a huge opportunity to prove their championship credentials.
Celtics vs. 76ers betting picks and predictions
Philadelphia 76ers moneyline (-104)
The Celtics are narrow favorites to rock up in Pennsylvania and knock Philadelphia off the Eastern Conference summit but there are more reasons to get behind the 76ers than Boston, so there is every chance they upset the odds.
Boston will be eager to show they got the better end of the deal when acquiring Paul George in the Brown trade. They have looked good so far, in fairness, and are arguably outperforming expectations in terms of record. However, the majority of their winning has been done against weaker sides.
The Celtics have lost two of their three games against sides who currently boast a winning record, going down to Detroit and Houston, while the 76ers seem to have a better plan for the big fixtures, winning two of their three such matches.
Boston were also 20-6 down to Milwaukee at the start of their last game and while they turned that around, they were facing the worst team in the East. Philly represent a huge step up in class, so another slow start would be punished.
Add in home advantage and Boston’s middling 3-2 record on the road and it is hard to oppose the slight underdogs.
Tyrese Maxey to score 25 or more points (-105)
Boston’s hyperfocus on preventing Brown from proving they were wrong to trade him could prove to be their undoing. The Celtics may look to double-team their former hero should he start draining shots in the manner he certainly can, leaving the equally dangerous Tyrese Maxey to continue his bright start to the campaign.
Maxey is averaging more points than any other 76er, racking up 26.9 per game, and his pace and nous means he is often in the right place at the right time.
The Philly guard has been the biggest beneficiary of LeBron James’s elite playmaking and it would be no surprise to see him score at least 25 points for the 10th time this season.
Joel Embiid double double (+170)
The main weakness Philadelphia can exploit is the Celtics’ lack of interior defenders. Neemias Queta is a solid player but his average of 6.2 rebounds per game does little to suggest he will cope well with the physical battle a rejuvenated Joel Embiid will draw him into.
Embiid has recorded a double double in two of his last three games, amassing an impressive 26 points and 15 rebounds against the Pistons in one of those, and is a nice price to continue his fine form.
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Celtics vs. 76ers odds
Celtics | -116 |
76ers | -104 |
Spread | 76ers -1.5 |
Total Points | 218.5 |
Celtics vs. 76ers player props
Player Points (Over 20)
Jayson Tatum (BOS) | -600 |
Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | -310 |
Jaylen Brown (PHI) | -190 |
Joel Embiid (PHI) | -120 |
Paul George (BOS) | +150 |
LeBron James (PHI) | +255 |
Celtics vs. 76ers Team News
Ariel Hukporti, Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow miss out for the 76ers, who have removed Embiid from the injury report, hinting that he is back to full fitness.
The Celtics have no key men missing, although two-way players Devin Carter and Amari Williams are sidelined, leaving them a touch short of depth.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
