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Celtics vs Nuggets Odds and Picks

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NBA Basketball

Updated Apr 10, 2021 · 8:00 PM PDT

Jayson Tatum shooting in warmups
Fresh off a career-high 53-point performance against Minnesota, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is a questionable starter for Sunday's game at Denver due to illness. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)
  • The Boston Celtics are 6-point underdogs Sunday afternoon at Denver against the red-hot Nuggets
  • Boston may be without forward Jayson Tatum (illness) who scored 53 points Friday against Minnesota
  • Completing a four-game homestand, Denver has won eight games in a row – read below for our pick

The Denver Nuggets are hot. The Boston Celtics are hobbling.

As Boston arrives in the Mile High City to get a three-game road trip underway, the combination of those circumstances has the online sportsbooks siding with the Nuggets in this Sunday afternoon NBA tilt.

Winners of eight in a row and 6-2 against the spread over that span, Denver is listed as the 6-point favorite to keep on rolling against a Celtics team that may line up minus three key pieces of their puzzle.

Tipoff for Sunday’s game is set for 3pm ET at Ball Arena. The game is being broadcast by Altitude and NBA TV.

Celtics vs Nuggets NBA Odds

Team Moneyline Spread at FanDuel Total
Boston Celtics +210 +6 (-110) OFF
Denver Nuggets -255 -6 (-110) OFF

Odds as of April 10th

Key Injuries On Both Sides

Potentially, both teams will take the court Suday afternoon missing key personnel. Denver has played the last three games minus guard Jamal Murray, slowed by right-knee soreness.

Despite the absence of an all-star player who is the club’s second-leading scorer (21.3 points per game), the Nuggets haven’t missed a beat. They’ve won all three games without Murray, extending their overall winning streak to eight.

Winners of four of the past five games, Boston also faces some issues due to injury and illness. Small forward Jayson Tatum (non-COVID 19 illness) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (left knee soreness) are listed as questionable for Sunday.

Boston backup shooting guard Evan Fournier is out. He’s listed as day-to-day due to health and safety protocols.

Tatum Makes Celtics History

The ailments to Tatum and Brown arrive just as the Celtics looked like they were finally arriving back to some reasonable level of facsimile to the team that played in last season’s Eastern Conference final.

They’d won four of their last five games to move above .500 at 27-26. In Friday’s 145-136 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tatum scored a career-high 53 points.  At 23, he became the youngest 50-point scorer in Celtics franchise history.

Brown is enjoying a career year. Selected to his first NBA All-Star team, he’s averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season.

However, his left knee has been a chronic issue all season long. It’s sent Brown to the shelf previously during this campaign.

Golden Nuggets

Overall, Denver has won 17 of the past 20 games. The Nuggets are 7-0 since picking up Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee in a pair of NBA trade deadline moves.

In Murray’s absence, Denver center Nikola Jokic is only strengthening his case for NBA MVP. Jokic posted his 13th triple-double of the season during Friday’s 121-119 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Michael Porter Jr has also picked up his game with Murray sidelined. He scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against San Antonio, That marked the fifth time over the past seven games that Porter has collected a double-double.

Trendspotting

Boston has won its last two games against Denver. However, both were played at TD Garden. In Denver, the Nuggets have been winners of two straight and three of the last four meetings.

Overall, the Nuggets are 7-3 in the last 10 games against Boston played at Ball Arena. Two of those three Celtics victories were earned by one-point margins.

The Nuggets are 18-9 at home this season and 16-9 against Eastern Conference clubs. Boston is a disappointing 10-16 on the road and 9-12 against the teams of the Western Confernce.

Even with their recent run of success, the Celtics are still just 6-4 through the past 10 games. Boston is 2-2 this season when Brown doesn’t play.

  • Pick: Denver Nuggets -6 (-110)

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