Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Odds and Picks
- The Boston Celtics visit the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night
- Boston is seeking their 4th-straight win, while Philly just had their 7-game win streak snapped
- Odds and matchups can be found below with a prediction
Like most teams, the Boston Celtics don’t really have anyone that can hold their own against Joel Embiid.
They’re in Philly to take on the 76ers Friday night, looking to extend their win streak to a season-high four games.
The challenge will be trying to contain Embiid, who has been on an otherworldly tear, and a Sixers’ side looking to bounce back after watching their seven-game win streak end at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets.
Oddsmakers have pegged the home side as 3-point favorites, even if Philly is just 8-9 at Wells Fargo, tied for the second-fewest home wins in the East. Tip-off goes at 7pm ET, and can be seen live on NBA League Pass.
Celtics vs 76ers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +3 (-110) | +130 | Ov 212 (-110) |
| Philadelphia 76ers | -3 (-110) | -150 | Un 212 (-110) |
Odds as of Jan 13 at DraftKings
Philadelphia 76ers Outlook
Embiid has been on one of most dominant stretches of play in his career, and he’s the engine that’s moved the 76ers into fifth in the East as they’ve won eight of their last 11 games.
“There is nobody playing better basketball in the world than Joel Embiid right now"
The Inside crew debates who is the MVP right now 👀 pic.twitter.com/696MjCJ5qq
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 14, 2022
The big man poured in a game-high 31 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists, but it wasn’t enough, as the Hornets upset them 109-98.
Still, it marked the eighth straight game he’s scored at least 31 points, and the 10th time he’s cracked that total in 11 games. He’s pouring in 32.5 points per game over this stretch, adding 9.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists, while shooting 54.1% from the field and 40.1% from deep.
“The Joel Embiid Highlight Reel”
⭐️ Rated "A" for All-Star – viewer discretion is advised.RT to vote @JoelEmbiid for #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/a8pRLw2hz8
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 13, 2022
Part of their issues in the loss to the Hornets has been plaguing them all year: rebounding. Charlotte out-boarded Philly 42-33. On the year, the Sixers rank dead last in the league at 42.1 per game. That helped the Hornets take 16 more field goal attempts than the 76ers.
Philly will be down a few backcourt players Friday, as Shake Milton is out with a back injury, while Danny Green will miss the game with a hip injury.
Boston Celtics Outlook
A home-and-home sweep of the Indiana Pacers helped Boston climb back the .500 mark.
At 21-21, they sit in 10th place in the East, the final place in the conference play-in tournament. They’re holding off the New York Knicks, who have an identical record, but the C’s own the tiebreaker with a better conference record.
34 PTS | 11-19 FG | 7-11 3PT#JaylenBrown simply cannot be stopped 😤 #NBAAllStar
Full highlights ▶️ https://t.co/d4EIcdnI75 pic.twitter.com/uInvI2iEfL
— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) January 13, 2022
The Celtics crushed the Pacers 119-100 Wednesday night, shooting 51.3% from the field, which included a sharp 18-for-38 mark from downtown (47.4%).
Boston’s all-star wings led the way. Jaylen Brown had a game-high 34 points and five rebounds, while drilling 7-of-11 from three-point range. Jayson Tatum was right behind him with 33 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while hitting 4-for-9 from deep.
What're you waiting for?
Get your #NBAAllStar votes in for @jaytatum0 every day ⭐ 🔄 pic.twitter.com/xvdC7miSIr
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 11, 2022
They’ve been getting it done defensively of late, holding teams to 100 points or less in four of the last five games, while limiting them to 42.8% shooting from the field and 34.3% from downtown.
Boston is fairly healthy heading into this one. Marcus Smart is coming off the COVID list, and will be a game-time decision Friday.
76ers vs Celtics Prediction
Both of these teams rank in the bottom-half of league scoring this season. Boston is 19th, at 107.8 per game, while Philadelphia is in 22nd at 107.3. The 76ers also rank 28th in pace, and Boston ranks 23rd.
This game’s total has gone under in their two previous meetings this season, with each team winning one game on the TD Garden floor.
While Embiid should dominate again, expect another lower-scoring slugfest between these two Atlantic Division rivals.
The Pick: Under 212 points (-110)
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
