The top two teams in the NBA’s Atlantic Division square off Tuesday in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia 76ers welcome the Boston Celtics to town, with the 76ers sporting a 34-22 record to lead the division. The Celtics are 33-25 after winning the last eight games. Boston lists Marcus Smart (illness) and Robert Williams III (calf) as questionable, with James Harden (hamstring) set to miss the game for Philadelphia.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Boston as a two-point road 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 210 in the latest Celtics vs. 76ers odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Celtics vs. 76ers match-up, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer 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 17 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 67-39 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Celtics, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Celtics vs. Sixers:
- Celtics vs. 76ers spread: Celtics -2
- Celtics vs. 76ers over-under: 210 points
- BOS: The Celtics are 15-12-1 against the spread in road games
- PHI: The 76ers are 11-17 against the spread in home games
Featured Game | Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston builds its approach around an elite defense, but the Celtics also match up well in other areas. On offense, Boston is No. 2 in the NBA in free throw accuracy, making 81.4 percent of attempts. The Celtics are also in the top 10 of the NBA in offensive rebound rate at 27.9 percent, creating second-chance opportunities to boost efficiency.
Philadelphia’s offense also falls short in a few key areas, including the NBA’s worst mark in offensive rebounding. The 76ers are No. 27 in second-chance points and No. 28 in three-pointers per game. Boston’s defense leads the NBA in efficiency since Jan. 1, giving up fewer than 1.01 points per possession. The Celtics are also near the top of the league in assists allowed, giving up 21.6 per game, and Boston is in the top eight in FG percentage allowed, 3P percentage allowed, blocked shots and points allowed in the paint.
Why the 76ers can cover
The 76ers have an above-average offense, scoring more than 1.11 points per possession. Philadelphia is No. 2 in the NBA in turnover avoidance, committing only 12.5 giveaways per game, and the Sixers generate 1.85 assists for every turnover. The 76ers make use of the free-throw line, making 81.1 percent of attempts, and Philadelphia lands above the NBA average in field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free-throw attempts per game.
On defense, the 76ers should match up well against a Celtics defense that is below-average in efficiency this season. Philadelphia is in the top eight of the NBA in defensive rating, with opponents shooting only 45.0 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from 3-point range against the 76ers. Philadelphia is allowing only 20.6 free-throw attempts per game to opponents, with above-average marks in assists allowed (23.1 per game), blocked shots (5.7 per game) and steals (7.7 per game).
How to make 76ers vs. Celtics picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 207 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Sixers? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 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.
