Celtics vs 76ers Predictions & Odds (Feb. 25)
- The Boston Celtics are 1.5-point road favorites vs the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night
- Philadelphia has won five straight, while Boston is seeking a third straight win
- Read below for the Celtics vs 76ers odds and predictions
Led by a do-everything effort by Joel Embiid to win their fifth straight, the Philadelphia 76ers (39-19. 24-8 home) will now try to accomplish something they haven’t been able to do all season: beat the Boston Celtics (43-17, 19-10 away).
The NBA-leading Celtics have taken the first two of this four-game regular season series, and they’ll be seeking their third straight win overall. They needed overtime to down Indiana in their first game out of the all-star break.
It all gets underway Saturday (Feb 25) at 8:30pm ET from Wells Fargo Center, in a game you can see live on ABC.
Celtics vs 76ers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | -1.5 (-110) | -120 | Ov 226.5 (-110) |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1.5 (-110) | +100 | Un 226.5 (-110) |
Philly simply hung around all game against the Memphis Grizzlies, eventually erasing a 17-point deficit to get the win in their first game back from the break.
That’s still not good enough to move out of the underdog spot in the NBA odds. The hometown Sixers are 1.5-point underdogs and +100 on the moneyline, in a game that features a total of 226.5.
Philly is just three games back of the East-leading Celtics, and they’ll be looking for their 25th win on home court this season — one more than they had all of last year. With a 19-10 mark away from TD Garden, Boston boasts the most road wins in the league and the fewest losses.
Odds as of Feb 22 at DraftKings. See the latest on Massachusetts sports betting.
Boston Betting Analysis
If there’s any concern for Saturday’s matchup, it’s that the Celtics emptied the tank in their 142-138 OT win over the Pacers in their first action out of the all-star break.
All-star Jaylen Brown logged a game-high 43 minutes, finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. All-Star Game MVP Jayson Tatum put in 42 minutes, dropping 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
Backdoor slam 🔨 pic.twitter.com/JptDst82jz
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 24, 2023
Malcolm Brogdon (37 minutes) came off the bench to score 24 points, with five boards and seven assists.
A team that ranks seventh in scoring defense (112.2 points per game) and three-point shooting D (35.5%), the Celtics’ defense was a non-factor against Indy, allowing them to shoot 52.1% from the field, including 22-for-49 from distance, a 44.9% clip.
They’ll be trying to contain a Philly offense that is tied for the 3rd-best mark from beyond the arc, hitting triples at a 38.4% rate.
Philadelphia Betting Analysis
It wasn’t a signature performance, yet Embiid showed why he’s a perennial candidate in the NBA MVP odds, as Philly downed Memphis 110-105.
The second-leading scorer in the league was just 7-for-25 from the field. While he still finished with 27 points, Embiid grabbed 19 rebounds, added six assists, and blocked six shots, none more impressive than a late game meet at the summit on Ja Morant.
Embiid had some big co-performers too, including James Harden dropping 31 points, seven boards and seven assists, while Tobias Harris added 20 and four boards.
EVERY ANGLE of Joel Embiid's emphatic block from tonight 🎬 pic.twitter.com/oxYLHLE84J
— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2023
Philly is quietly ripping up the NBA, having reeled off 14 wins in their last 17. They’re 7-1 in their last eight at Wells Fargo, putting up 118.7 points per game, shooting 49.1% from the field and 42.5% from three.
Defensively, they are among the league’s best, allowing 110.4 points per game, which ranks third. Their three-point shooting D — second overall at 34.2% — will be put to the test against a Celtics side that attempts the 2nd-most threes per game, and hits at a top-5 rate (37.9%).
Celtics vs 76ers Betting Prediction
Boston won the first matchup in October 126-117, with Brown and Tatum each going off for 35 points. Earlier this month, Boston dropped the Sixers 106-99, powered by a 19-for-35 effort from three-point range, a 27-point advantage in that stat.
While Boston has won three straight in this head-to-head, they’re just 3-7 against the spread in the last 10 matchups, and a dismal 1-4 ATS in their last five games in Philadelphia.
Philly does enter this one playing well, and you’ve profited if you’ve rolled with them: 5-0 ATS in their last five overall. They also happen to be the best home bet in the NBA, with a 21-10-1 ATS mark this year.
Boston is ninth-most successful road wager, at 15-14 ATS, but we’ll ride with a hot home team to win outright at plus odds.
Pick:
- 76ers ML (+100); 1.5 units to win 1.5 units
- NBA Betting Record: 29-28-1 ATS, 1-1 ML, 5-7 o/u, 0-2 parlays; -8 units
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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.
