Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Game 3 Prediction, NBA Odds
Shocked by the shorthanded 76ers in a 119-115 series-opening loss at home on Monday night, the Celtics responded with a dominating 121-87 win in Game 2 to even the series at one game apiece. Wednesday’s loss marked the first defeat of the postseason for the 76ers. However, the Sixers have been steady at home in playoff action, going 6-2 straight up since the start of last year’s postseason.
The Celtics look to claim their first lead of the series while pegged as 2-point favourites on the Friday NBA odds. The 76ers are listed as +109 home underdogs on the moneyline, and the total sits at 214. With Wednesday’s win, the Celtics have improved to -250 chalk on the NBA playoff series prices, with Philadelphia dipping to a +183 long shot.
Celtics vs. 76ers NBA Betting Odds
With their Game 2 victory, the Celtics have now posted straight up wins in 10 of 12 overall dates with the 76ers, and have covered nine times over that stretch. However, the Sixers hold the edge in recent head-to-head playoff clashes with Boston on home court, going 5-2 straight up in their past seven and 15-2 in 17 clashes since 1977.
Boston Celtics
Surly in the wake of their stunning defeat in Game 1, the Celtics leveraged dominant performances at both ends of the court in Wednesday’s series-tying win. After allowing the Sixers to convert 17 of 38 three-point attempts in Game 1, the Celtics slammed the door on Philly shooters, limiting them to meagre 6-for-30 shooting from downtown on Wednesday night. Boston also received a team effort under the bucket, with Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Malcom Brogdon each pulling down seven rebounds.
Tatum struggled on offence, going 1-for-7 for just seven points after topping 30 points in three of his four previous outings. Tatum has also struggled at times in recent visits to Philadelphia, scoring more than 20 points just three times in 11 road dates with the Sixers. However, Jaylen Brown picked up the slack, dropping a game-high 25 points while Brogdon contributed 23 points off the bench including six of the team’s 20 three-pointers on the night.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers received a lift from the unexpected return of Joel Embiid, who was expected to be sidelined for as long as four weeks after suffering a serious knee injury in Game 3 of Boston’s first round clash with Atlanta. However, the newly crowned NBA MVP struggled to keep up at times while playing just 27 minutes, recording 15 points and just three boards. Embiid’s return meant a returning to a supporting role for Paul Reed. The 23-year-old impressed while taking on a bigger assignment in Embiid’s two-game absence, averaging 10 points and 14 boards, and could see his playing time increase once again should Embiid struggle while playing through his injury.
James Harden took a massive step back after matching a playoff career high with 45 points in Monday’s 119-115 win. The Beard shot just 2-for-14 from the floor for 12 points on Wednesday night including a 0-for-6 mark from beyond the arc. He has now dropped 17 or fewer points in three of his past five outings, but turned in his best defensive performance of the postseason with 10 rebounds. However, with Embiid hobbled, Philadelphia will need Harden to rediscover his Game 1 form if the Sixers are to reclaim the series lead.
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