One of the NBA’s meatier rivalries is renewed on Wednesday night when the Philadelphia 76ers head to Boston to prove their metal against the Celtics.
This contest’s result may have ramifications down the line when playoff seedings are set in stone. If Boston looks over its shoulder it can see Philly just three games behind.
Boston is awarded a -4.5 favourite status on the NBA odds. As for the over-under, it sits at 224.5.
76ers vs. Celtics NBA Betting Odds
Even though the Massachusetts-based unit has known greater postseason success in recent years, the 76ers have gotten the better of their rivals in the regular season. Philadelphia has captured five of the last eight contests. That said, Boston’s conquered their foes the last two times they’ve crossed paths, including the first of four dates this season last October.
Doc Rivers’ ensemble is one of the few teams that performs as well in the standings as they do against the spread. Not only are they a strong 34-18 – good for third in the East – but they’ve mustered a rather convincing 30-22 record ATS. The previous ten opportunities reveal that an outright win typically translates to a cover and vice versa. There were only two exceptions during that stretch. It should be noted that Philly is coming in hot, going 8-2 outright in the process.
Betters with unshakable faith in the Celtics can take solace in the fact that Joe Mazzulla’s group has covered two of its three previous spreads, but they’re still mediocre overall (27-26-1). More disconcerting is that their three most recent defeats were suffered at the hands of teams making playoff pushes: the Heat, the Knicks, and the Suns in the West. If Boston wants to remind everyone that they are the beasts of the East, a win against the 76ers is imperative.
Philadelphia 76ers
Despite all the praise we just showered onto Philadelphia, the reality is the team comes off a disappointing loss to New York on Sunday. Worse, they controlled the contest for the first quarter, emphatically looking like the superior outfit. Most stats show that the 76ers were not much worse than their counterparts, but everything fell apart in the final frame.
It was a game in which Joel Embiid did his usual thing but no one else went along with him for the journey. 31-12-14 is a fantastic stat line, but no teammate came close to even reaching 20 points. Even though no Knick hit 30 (Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle went for 21 and 24), Evan Fournier came off the bench to hit five of his eight attempts from distance, easing the path towards a 108-97 victory. It doesn’t matter how well a team plays for the first three quarters, a 32-18 deficit in the final 12 minutes will often spoil the best-laid plans.
Boston Celtics
An evaluation of Monday night’s victory in the Motor City against the Pistons produces both positivity and mild concern. The 111-99 final score was encouraging, but no one needs reminding that it was earned against a relatively weak opponent.
Additionally, it was promising to see the Celtics shoot well from range (43.2 per cent), something they haven’t done with consistency. Conversely, Jayson Tatum was required to do most of the heavy lifting in the second half to carry the team towards victory. Surely with a 23-point advantage coach Mazzulla hoped his star could get the rest of the night off, but the Pistons caught up to speed and made it a contest, at least for a short while late in the third period. Defence in the paint was far from terrific, even though Boston ended the night winning that battle 42-40. The most alarming discrepancy concerned the +/- ratios between starters and subs. Starters were all comfortably in the positive, but three of the four subs had woefully negative figures.
NBA Prediction: Who Will Win 76ers vs. Celtics?
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PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
110 -
BOSTON CELTICS
109
Score Prediction
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
| time | fav | line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening 8 Feb 1:01pm | PHI | -4.5 -110 | O +227 -110 |
| Closing 9 Feb 12:21am | PHI | -2.5 -102 | O +227.5 -110 |
- Regular Season
76ers Team Leaders
| Points |
33.19 |
| Assists |
10.85 |
| Rebounds |
10.2 |
| FG% |
75 |
| Steals |
1.7 |
| Blocks |
1.75 |
| Points |
30.06 |
| Assists |
6.44 |
| Rebounds |
8.9 |
| FG% |
74.3 |
| Steals |
1.53 |
| Blocks |
1.17 |
- Regular Season
Celtics Team Leaders
| Points |
33.19 |
| Assists |
10.85 |
| Rebounds |
10.2 |
| FG% |
75 |
| Steals |
1.7 |
| Blocks |
1.75 |
| Points |
30.06 |
| Assists |
6.44 |
| Rebounds |
8.9 |
| FG% |
74.3 |
| Steals |
1.53 |
| Blocks |
1.17 |
Injuries
Jalen McDaniels (PF)
James Harden (SG)
James Harden (SG)
P.J. Tucker (SF)
Jalen McDaniels (PF)
James Harden (SG)
P.J. Tucker (SF)
Tobias Harris (SF)
Dewayne Dedmon (C)
Joel Embiid (C)
Al Horford (C)
Marcus Smart (PG)
Marcus Smart (PG)
Malcolm Brogdon (SG)
Al Horford (C)
Payton Pritchard (PG)
Robert Williams III (C)
Malcolm Brogdon (SG)
Mike Muscala (PF)
Derrick White (PG)
Injuries
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen McDaniels (PF) | Ques Fri | Hip - 22 / 03 / 23 | 3-0 | 2-1 | + - |
|
McDaniels sat out the last contest with right hip soreness, and his status for Friday's tilt versus the Warriors is hazy. |
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| James Harden (SG) | Ques Fri | Achilles - 21 / 03 / 23 | 3-0 | 2-1 | + - |
|
Harden was held out of the last game with left Achilles soreness, and it is up in the air if he will face the Warriors on Friday. |
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| James Harden (SG) | Prob Mon | Foot - 18 / 03 / 23 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Harden missed the last contest with left foot soreness, but it is likely that he will suit up against the Bulls on Monday. |
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| P.J. Tucker (SF) | Prob Wed | Ankle - 18 / 03 / 23 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
|
Tucker has been absent from the previous two contests due to a left ankle soreness, but it is expected that he will lace up for Wednesday's battle with the Bulls. |
|||||
| Jalen McDaniels (PF) | Ques Sat | Hip - 12 / 03 / 23 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
|
McDaniels has missed the last two games with a right hip contusion, and it is uncertain whether he will line up for Saturday's clash against the Pacers. |
|||||
| James Harden (SG) | Prob Fri | Foot - 07 / 03 / 23 | 2-2 | 2-2 | + - |
|
Harden sat out the previous match due to left foot soreness, but it is not expected to impede his status for Friday's clash against the Trail Blazers. |
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| P.J. Tucker (SF) | Ques Tues | Back - 05 / 03 / 23 | 3-3 | 4-2 | + - |
|
Tucker missed the last contest due to back spasms, and his availability for Tuesday's battle with the Timberwolves is hazy. |
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| Tobias Harris (SF) | Ques Tues | Calf - 04 / 03 / 23 | 3-3 | 4-2 | + - |
|
Harris was absent from the previous game with a left calf contusion, and it is uncertain if he will face the Timberwolves on Tuesday. |
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| Dewayne Dedmon (C) | Mid March | Hip - 23 / 02 / 23 | 6-5 | 5-6 | + - |
|
Dedmon is out of action due to left hip tightness, and he will remain idle until the middle of March. |
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| Joel Embiid (C) | Prob Wed | Foot - 14 / 02 / 23 | 7-5 | 5-6-1 | + - |
|
Embiid is nursing left foot soreness, but it is expected that he will face off against the Cavaliers in Wednesday's clash. |
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| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Horford (C) | Prob Tues | Back - 18 / 03 / 23 | 0-1 | 0-1 | + - |
|
Horford missed the last contest with low back stiffness, but it is anticipated that he will play against the Kings on Tuesday. |
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| Marcus Smart (PG) | Prob Tues | Hip - 18 / 03 / 23 | 0-1 | 0-1 | + - |
|
Smart sat out the last game with a left hip contusion, but it is projected that he will be active Tuesday versus the Kings. |
|||||
| Marcus Smart (PG) | Ques Fri | Illness - 17 / 03 / 23 | 0-1 | 0-1 | + - |
|
Smart is dealing with an illness, and it remains to be seen whether he will suit up Friday against the Trail Blazers. |
|||||
| Malcolm Brogdon (SG) | Ques Sat | Achilles - 17 / 03 / 23 | 0-1 | 0-1 | + - |
|
Brogdon sat out the last game with right Achilles soreness, and it is undetermined if he will suit up Saturday against the Jazz. |
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| Al Horford (C) | Prob Wed | Back - 06 / 03 / 23 | 3-2 | 3-2 | + - |
|
Horford was held out of the previous contest due to lower-back stiffness, but he is expected to face the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. |
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| Payton Pritchard (PG) | Out indefinitely | Heel - 06 / 03 / 23 | 3-2 | 3-2 | + - |
|
Pritchard is dealing with a left heel injury, and there is no timetable for his return. |
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| Robert Williams III (C) | Prob Tues | Hamstring - 03 / 03 / 23 | 3-3 | 4-2 | + - |
|
Williams III has been sidelined due to a left hamstring strain, but he is expected to return against the Kings on Tuesday. |
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| Malcolm Brogdon (SG) | Ques Sun | Ankle - 03 / 03 / 23 | 3-3 | 4-2 | + - |
|
Brogdon was held out of the previous contest due to right ankle soreness, and it is uncertain if he will face the Knicks on Sunday. |
|||||
| Mike Muscala (PF) | Ques Wed | Knee - 28 / 02 / 23 | 4-4 | 4-4 | + - |
|
Muscala is nursing right knee tendinopathy, leaving his status for Wednesday's clash with the Cavaliers up in the air. |
|||||
| Derrick White (PG) | Prob Mon | Ankle - 26 / 02 / 23 | 4-5 | 5-4 | + - |
|
White is hampered by a right ankle sprain, but it is likely that he will play against the Knicks on Monday. |
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Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 8 Feb 1:01pm PHI -4.5 -110 O +227 -110 Closing 9 Feb 12:21am PHI -2.5 -102 O +227.5 -110 -
- Regular Season
76ers Team Leaders
Points 33.19
Assists 10.85
Rebounds 10.2
FG% 75
Steals 1.7
Blocks 1.75
Points 30.06
Assists 6.44
Rebounds 8.9
FG% 74.3
Steals 1.53
Blocks 1.17
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- Regular Season
Celtics Team Leaders
Points 33.19
Assists 10.85
Rebounds 10.2
FG% 75
Steals 1.7
Blocks 1.75
Points 30.06
Assists 6.44
Rebounds 8.9
FG% 74.3
Steals 1.53
Blocks 1.17
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Injuries
Jalen McDaniels (PF)
Ques Fri Hip - 22 / 03 / 23James Harden (SG)
Ques Fri Achilles - 21 / 03 / 23James Harden (SG)
Prob Mon Foot - 18 / 03 / 23P.J. Tucker (SF)
Prob Wed Ankle - 18 / 03 / 23Jalen McDaniels (PF)
Ques Sat Hip - 12 / 03 / 23James Harden (SG)
Prob Fri Foot - 07 / 03 / 23P.J. Tucker (SF)
Ques Tues Back - 05 / 03 / 23Tobias Harris (SF)
Ques Tues Calf - 04 / 03 / 23Dewayne Dedmon (C)
Mid March Hip - 23 / 02 / 23Joel Embiid (C)
Prob Wed Foot - 14 / 02 / 23Al Horford (C)
Prob Tues Back - 18 / 03 / 23Marcus Smart (PG)
Prob Tues Hip - 18 / 03 / 23Marcus Smart (PG)
Ques Fri Illness - 17 / 03 / 23Malcolm Brogdon (SG)
Ques Sat Achilles - 17 / 03 / 23Al Horford (C)
Prob Wed Back - 06 / 03 / 23Payton Pritchard (PG)
Out indefinitely Heel - 06 / 03 / 23Robert Williams III (C)
Prob Tues Hamstring - 03 / 03 / 23Malcolm Brogdon (SG)
Ques Sun Ankle - 03 / 03 / 23Mike Muscala (PF)
Ques Wed Knee - 28 / 02 / 23Derrick White (PG)
Prob Mon Ankle - 26 / 02 / 23Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Jalen McDaniels (PF) Ques Fri Hip - 22 / 03 / 23 3-0 2-1 + - McDaniels sat out the last contest with right hip soreness, and his status for Friday's tilt versus the Warriors is hazy.
James Harden (SG) Ques Fri Achilles - 21 / 03 / 23 3-0 2-1 + - Harden was held out of the last game with left Achilles soreness, and it is up in the air if he will face the Warriors on Friday.
James Harden (SG) Prob Mon Foot - 18 / 03 / 23 1-0 1-0 + - Harden missed the last contest with left foot soreness, but it is likely that he will suit up against the Bulls on Monday.
P.J. Tucker (SF) Prob Wed Ankle - 18 / 03 / 23 1-0 1-0 + - Tucker has been absent from the previous two contests due to a left ankle soreness, but it is expected that he will lace up for Wednesday's battle with the Bulls.
Jalen McDaniels (PF) Ques Sat Hip - 12 / 03 / 23 1-1 1-1 + - McDaniels has missed the last two games with a right hip contusion, and it is uncertain whether he will line up for Saturday's clash against the Pacers.
James Harden (SG) Prob Fri Foot - 07 / 03 / 23 2-2 2-2 + - Harden sat out the previous match due to left foot soreness, but it is not expected to impede his status for Friday's clash against the Trail Blazers.
P.J. Tucker (SF) Ques Tues Back - 05 / 03 / 23 3-3 4-2 + - Tucker missed the last contest due to back spasms, and his availability for Tuesday's battle with the Timberwolves is hazy.
Tobias Harris (SF) Ques Tues Calf - 04 / 03 / 23 3-3 4-2 + - Harris was absent from the previous game with a left calf contusion, and it is uncertain if he will face the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Dewayne Dedmon (C) Mid March Hip - 23 / 02 / 23 6-5 5-6 + - Dedmon is out of action due to left hip tightness, and he will remain idle until the middle of March.
Joel Embiid (C) Prob Wed Foot - 14 / 02 / 23 7-5 5-6-1 + - Embiid is nursing left foot soreness, but it is expected that he will face off against the Cavaliers in Wednesday's clash.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Al Horford (C) Prob Tues Back - 18 / 03 / 23 0-1 0-1 + - Horford missed the last contest with low back stiffness, but it is anticipated that he will play against the Kings on Tuesday.
Marcus Smart (PG) Prob Tues Hip - 18 / 03 / 23 0-1 0-1 + - Smart sat out the last game with a left hip contusion, but it is projected that he will be active Tuesday versus the Kings.
Marcus Smart (PG) Ques Fri Illness - 17 / 03 / 23 0-1 0-1 + - Smart is dealing with an illness, and it remains to be seen whether he will suit up Friday against the Trail Blazers.
Malcolm Brogdon (SG) Ques Sat Achilles - 17 / 03 / 23 0-1 0-1 + - Brogdon sat out the last game with right Achilles soreness, and it is undetermined if he will suit up Saturday against the Jazz.
Al Horford (C) Prob Wed Back - 06 / 03 / 23 3-2 3-2 + - Horford was held out of the previous contest due to lower-back stiffness, but he is expected to face the Trail Blazers on Wednesday.
Payton Pritchard (PG) Out indefinitely Heel - 06 / 03 / 23 3-2 3-2 + - Pritchard is dealing with a left heel injury, and there is no timetable for his return.
Robert Williams III (C) Prob Tues Hamstring - 03 / 03 / 23 3-3 4-2 + - Williams III has been sidelined due to a left hamstring strain, but he is expected to return against the Kings on Tuesday.
Malcolm Brogdon (SG) Ques Sun Ankle - 03 / 03 / 23 3-3 4-2 + - Brogdon was held out of the previous contest due to right ankle soreness, and it is uncertain if he will face the Knicks on Sunday.
Mike Muscala (PF) Ques Wed Knee - 28 / 02 / 23 4-4 4-4 + - Muscala is nursing right knee tendinopathy, leaving his status for Wednesday's clash with the Cavaliers up in the air.
Derrick White (PG) Prob Mon Ankle - 26 / 02 / 23 4-5 5-4 + - White is hampered by a right ankle sprain, but it is likely that he will play against the Knicks on Monday.