Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference will finish a two-game series on Friday, as the third place Boston Celtics are in Philadelphia to face the first place 76ers.  After being swept by the Celtics in the first round of last year’s playoffs, Philadelphia got some revenge with a 117-109 win on Wednesday.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Celtics have struggled to put points on the board in the City of Brotherly Love and have missed the Over in eight of their last 10 games in Philadelphia.  Boston has also struggled to cover, this season, going 3-4 against the spread on the road, but they have hit the Over in four of seven road games.

Philadelphia has been almost unbeatable at home, this season, winning eight of nine games the Well Fargo Center, while covering the spread and hitting the Over six times each, in those games.  The Sixers have hit the Over in five straight home games and six of their last eight games overall.

Boston Celtics

It’s still early in the season, but losing this game after getting crushed by the Knicks on Sunday is a little concerning.  The Eastern Conference is full of stacked teams and there is very little room for error.  Not only are Boston and Philadelphia fighting it out in the standings, but a blowout loss to the lowly Knicks should have been a kick in the pants for the Celtics and all they did was fall short.  Again, it’s still early, but the lack of bounce-back doesn’t bode well for a Celtics team competing in an ultra-competitive conference.

With leading scorer Jayson Tatum still not cleared to play due to COVID-19, Jaylen Brown once again stepped up in Tatum’s absence.  Brown led the team with 26 points and five rebounds, while Marcus Smart added 25 points and Daniel Theis finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.  It’s been a tough week for Boston, but if they can keep things together until Tatum’s return (potentially on Friday) and they don’t fall off, they’re still in a good position.  Kemba Walker could be crucial for the Celtics in the next little stretch.  Wednesday’s loss to the Sixers was only Walker’s second game of the season, after he returned from a knee injury.  Walker played around 20 minutes against the Knicks on Sunday and about 22 minutes against the Sixers on Wednesday, finishing with nine points against New York and 19 points against Philadelphia.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers missed out on the James Harden sweepstakes, but with the way Joel Embiid has played this season, who needs Harden?  Embiid is off to the best star of his career and has hit the 40-point mark twice in his last three games, including a 42-point, 10-rebound performance during Philly’s 117-106 win over the Celtics on Wednesday.  Tobias Harris also had a big game, finishing with 22 points, while Shake Milton chipped in 16 points.  Embiid and Milton lead the Sixers in scoring, averaging 26.4 and 19.3 points per game, respectively, while Seth Curry still has not returned to the lineup after testing positive for COVID-19 on January 7.  Curry is now healthy and was eligible to return on Wednesday, although Philadelphia kept him out of the lineup until he can get his conditioning back to game speed, but there is a good chance he plays on Friday.  Through eight games, Curry was averaging 17 points and 3.6 assists per game, while shooting 59.3 per cent from three-point range.

Somewhat flying under the radar in Philadelphia, is rookie Tyrese Maxey, the 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft.  He averages 10.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game on the season, but since being inserted into the starting lineup, he has improved drastically and averaged 19.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists over the last five games.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Celtics vs. 76ers?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Celtics Team Leaders

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 26.44
Assists	Marcus Smart 5.69
Rebounds	Tristan Thompson 8.13
FG%	Tacko Fall 72.4
Steals	Marcus Smart 1.5
Blocks	Robert Williams III 1.75

PHI

Points	Joel Embiid 28.45
Assists	Ben Simmons 6.91
Rebounds	Joel Embiid 10.57
FG%	Dwight Howard 58.7
Steals	Matisse Thybulle 1.62
Blocks	Joel Embiid 1.35

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 30.6
Assists	Marcus Smart 6
Rebounds	Tristan Thompson 9.8
FG%	Luke Kornet 100
Steals	Jayson Tatum 1.2
Blocks	Robert Williams III 3

PHI

Points	Joel Embiid 28.09
Assists	Ben Simmons 8.83
Rebounds	Joel Embiid 10.55
FG%	Ben Simmons 62.1
Steals	Matisse Thybulle 1.33
Blocks	Joel Embiid 1.45

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

76ers Team Leaders

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 26.44
Assists	Marcus Smart 5.69
Rebounds	Tristan Thompson 8.13
FG%	Tacko Fall 72.4
Steals	Marcus Smart 1.5
Blocks	Robert Williams III 1.75

PHI

Points	Joel Embiid 28.45
Assists	Ben Simmons 6.91
Rebounds	Joel Embiid 10.57
FG%	Dwight Howard 58.7
Steals	Matisse Thybulle 1.62
Blocks	Joel Embiid 1.35

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 30.6
Assists	Marcus Smart 6
Rebounds	Tristan Thompson 9.8
FG%	Luke Kornet 100
Steals	Jayson Tatum 1.2
Blocks	Robert Williams III 3

PHI

Points	Joel Embiid 28.09
Assists	Ben Simmons 8.83
Rebounds	Joel Embiid 10.55
FG%	Ben Simmons 62.1
Steals	Matisse Thybulle 1.33
Blocks	Joel Embiid 1.45

Injuries

Boston

Kemba Walker (PG)

Out Tues Knee - 29 / 05 / 21

Robert Williams III (C)

Out Tues Ankle - 28 / 05 / 21

Kemba Walker (PG)

Prob Fri Knee - 27 / 05 / 21

Robert Williams III (C)

Prob Tues Toe - 24 / 05 / 21

Robert Williams III (C)

Prob Sat Toe - 19 / 05 / 21

Kemba Walker (PG)

Ques Tues Neck - 16 / 05 / 21

Evan Fournier (SG)

Prob Tues Knee - 16 / 05 / 21

Kemba Walker (PG)

Out Sat Rest - 14 / 05 / 21

Tristan Thompson (C)

Prob Tues Pectoral - 14 / 05 / 21

Evan Fournier (SG)

Prob Sat Knee - 14 / 05 / 21

Philadelphia

Danny Green (SG)

Late June Calf - 11 / 06 / 21

Seth Curry (SG)

Prob Wed Ankle - 01 / 06 / 21

George Hill (PG)

Prob Wed Knee - 01 / 06 / 21

Tobias Harris (SF)

Prob Sat Ankle - 28 / 05 / 21

Seth Curry (SG)

Prob Sat Ankle - 28 / 05 / 21

Seth Curry (SG)

Ques Wed Hand - 24 / 05 / 21

Tobias Harris (SF)

Ques Sun Rest - 16 / 05 / 21

Furkan Korkmaz (SG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 15 / 05 / 21

Shake Milton (PG)

Prob Sun Knee - 15 / 05 / 21

Danny Green (SG)

Ques Sun Hip - 15 / 05 / 21

Injuries

Boston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kemba Walker (PG)	Out Tues	Knee - 29 / 05 / 21	1-2	3-0	+ -
Walker is bothered by left knee soreness, and he will not dress for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Nets.
Robert Williams III (C)	Out Tues	Ankle - 28 / 05 / 21	1-2	3-0	+ -
Williams III is nursing a left ankle sprain, and he will not take on the Nets in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Kemba Walker (PG)	Prob Fri	Knee - 27 / 05 / 21	1-2	3-0	+ -
Walker is managing a left knee medial bone contusion, but it is likely that he will take the court to face the Nets in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Robert Williams III (C)	Prob Tues	Toe - 24 / 05 / 21	1-3	3-1	+ -
Williams III is expected to dress for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite left foot turf toe.
Robert Williams III (C)	Prob Sat	Toe - 19 / 05 / 21	2-3	3-2	+ -
Williams is bothered by left foot turf toe, but it is projected that he will be available versus the Nets in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Kemba Walker (PG)	Ques Tues	Neck - 16 / 05 / 21	3-3	3-3	+ -
Walker is nursing left cervical nerve irritation, and it is up in the air if he will take the court for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Play-In against the Wizards.
Evan Fournier (SG)	Prob Tues	Knee - 16 / 05 / 21	3-3	3-3	+ -
Fournier is bothered by a right knee injury, but it is anticipated that he will be active for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Play-In versus the Wizards.
Kemba Walker (PG)	Out Sat	Rest - 14 / 05 / 21	3-4	3-4	+ -
Walker will not take on the Timberwolves on Saturday as he will be given a day of rest.
Tristan Thompson (C)	Prob Tues	Pectoral - 14 / 05 / 21	3-4	3-4	+ -
Thompson is tending to a left pectoral strain, but it is projected that he will dress versus the Wizards for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Play-In.
Evan Fournier (SG)	Prob Sat	Knee - 14 / 05 / 21	3-4	3-4	+ -
Fournier is bothered by a right knee hyper flexion, but he is expected to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.

Philadelphia

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Danny Green (SG)	Late June	Calf - 11 / 06 / 21	3-2	1-4	+ -
Green has a right calf strain, and he will be sidelined for two to three weeks.
Seth Curry (SG)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 01 / 06 / 21	4-4	4-4	+ -
Curry is dealing with a left ankle sprain, but he is likely to be in the lineup versus the Wizards for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round.
George Hill (PG)	Prob Wed	Knee - 01 / 06 / 21	4-4	4-4	+ -
Hill is battling a left knee contusion, but he is projected to be available for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Wizards.
Tobias Harris (SF)	Prob Sat	Ankle - 28 / 05 / 21	6-4	5-5	+ -
Harris is expected to line up for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Wizards despite an ankle injury.
Seth Curry (SG)	Prob Sat	Ankle - 28 / 05 / 21	6-4	5-5	+ -
Curry is tending to a left ankle sprain, but it is projected that he will face the Wizards in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Seth Curry (SG)	Ques Wed	Hand - 24 / 05 / 21	6-5	6-5	+ -
Curry is tending to a hand injury, and it has yet to be established if he will face the Wizards in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Tobias Harris (SF)	Ques Sun	Rest - 16 / 05 / 21	8-5	8-5	+ -
Harris is dealing with right knee recovery, and he will receive a day of rest on Sunday versus the Magic.
Furkan Korkmaz (SG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 15 / 05 / 21	8-5	8-5	+ -
Korkmaz is projected to take on the Magic on Sunday despite a right ankle sprain.
Shake Milton (PG)	Prob Sun	Knee - 15 / 05 / 21	8-5	8-5	+ -
Milton is managing right knee soreness, but it is likely that he will participate in Sunday's matchup with the Magic.
Danny Green (SG)	Ques Sun	Hip - 15 / 05 / 21	8-5	8-5	+ -
Green is dealing with a hip injury, and it is unclear if he will be active for the Eastern Conference first round against the Wizards.