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76ers vs Celtics Prediction & Odds (Oct. 18)

Chris Amberley

by Chris Amberley in NBA Basketball

Updated Oct 18, 2022 · 6:33 AM PDT

Jaylen Brown drives to the hoop
Oct 14, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
  • Boston is a 3-point home favorite in the 76ers vs Celtics odds on the NBA’s opening night (Tuesday, October 18)
  • Both Robert Williams III (knee) and Danilo Gallinari (knee) have been ruled out for the Celtics
  • Get the latest 76ers vs Celtics odds and betting prediction

No month on the sports calendar is as action packed as October. MLB playoffs are in full swing, NFL and college football monopolizes the weekends, the puck just dropped on a new NHL season, and Tuesday marks opening night in the NBA.

The first game on the 2022 NBA schedule features the Philadelphia 76ers visiting Boston for a date with last season’s Eastern Conference-champion Celtics.

Oddsmakers are siding with the home team in the NBA odds, but by fewer points than you might expect.

76ers vs Celtics Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Philadelphia 76ers +3 (-108) +114 O 216 (-112)
Boston Celtics -3 (-113) -136 U 216 (-109)

Odds as of October 17 at Barstool Sportsbook. Claim the Barstool Sportsbook promo code to bet on the NBA’s opening night.

The Celtics opened up as 3-point favorites, and after briefly dipping to -2.5, the line is back where it began. The contest features a 216-point total, while the matchup will be part of a TNT doubleheader.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET at TD Garden in Boston, MA, a building where the Celtics went 28-13 in during the 2021-22 regular season.

 

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Boston Celtics Betting Trends

Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance last season, Boston reloaded this offseason adding guard Malcolm Brogdon and sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari. The duo will join superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with defensive player of the year Marcus Smart and big men Al Horford and Robert Williams III, to form one of the deepest teams in basketball – when healthy.

That last part is key because both Gallinari and Williams III have already been ruled out of Tuesday’s contest. Gallinari tore his ACL last month, while Williams is recovering from knee surgery.

Still the nucleus of Tatum, Brown, Smart, Horford, Brogdon, Derrick White and Grant Williams is pretty impressive. So strong in fact, that the Celtics are the frontrunners in the NBA championship odds.

Boston got off to a dismal start last year, but was incredible once the calendar flipped to 2022. They led the NBA in net rating from January on, and finished first in defensive rating. They should be among the league leaders in both categories once again, if interim coach Joe Mazzulla can get the most out of them.

Mazzulla in acting bench boss now after Ime Udoka was suspended by the team for the entire season for policy violations. At 34, Mazzulla is one of the youngest coaches in the league, and was coaching Division II basketball at the collegiate level just three years ago.

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Philadelphia 76ers Betting Trends

The Sixers enter the season as a top-seven contender to win the title. Fresh off another second round playoff defeat, they upgraded their team in the offseason by adding P.J. Tucker, who’ll bring plenty of leadership and toughness.

Philly also added De’Anthony Melton and Danuel House who are both plus-defenders. The 76ers were 12th in defensive rating last season and profile to be even better in 2022-23. They ranked top-eight in blocks and opponent assists, and top-10 in steals.

Offensively, Joel Embiid and James Harden will get to team up for an entire season, and unlike previous years, Harden reported to training camp in tremendous shape.

Embiid led all players in scoring last season, and checks in with the second shortest NBA MVP odds. In addition to Embiid and Harden, Philly also boasts two additional top-60 players in the league in Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.

The offensive ceiling is extremely high for this team, but that doesn’t mean we should run to the window to bet the over on Tuesday.

76ers vs Celtics Prediction

Both of these teams profile as elite in their own end which makes this total way too high. They played four times last season, with three of the matchups falling well short of this number.

Only six teams saw a higher percentage of their games fall under the total than the Sixers, while Celtics’ contests went under at the league’s 12th highest clip.

Also working in favor of a low-scoring game is the pace at which these two teams typically play at. Both Boston and Philadelphia ranked among the bottom-seven in possessions per game last season. With much of the same personnel in place, expect that trend to continue. Fewer possessions equal fewer points. Bet the under.

Pick: Under 216 (-109)

 

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