The Boston Celtics just lost a very tough and close game to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon. On Tuesday, they’ll continue their Western Conference swing against the Portland Trail Blazers, who have lost four in a row and are scrambling to try to get one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. With Damian Lillard out for the Trail Blazers and Kemba Walker a question mark for the Celtics, a line has not been posted for this game.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Celtics are an impressive 16-5 against the spread (ATS) after a non-conference game and they’re 15-6 straight up in those games. They are a healthy 23-6 against teams with a losing record but are just 15-13-1 ATS in those games. They’ve covered 17 of their 27 road contests.

The Trail Blazers are just 8-19 on the year when playing teams with a winning record, which is a bad omen for Tuesday. They’re just 11-15-1 against the spread in those contests. They’re just 11-16 ATS at home and 2-5 on Tuesday nights.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics might have the hottest player in the NBA right now in Jayson Tatum, who just torched the Los Angeles Lakers this past Sunday. He had 41 points against one of the better teams and defenses in the NBA. Tatum hit 60 percent of his field goal attempts and 57 percent of his three-pointers against the Lakers, in one of the very best individual performances we are going to see this season. Tatum is averaging 23 points per game this season and is emerging into the superstar this team needs to get over the top. With players like Walker and Jaylen Brown are also averaging 20 or more points per game (Walker at 22, Brown at 20), this is as about as impressive of a starting lineup as there is.

Tuesday’s game should be much easier than Sunday’s because Lillard is out but the Celtics will have to be careful not to have a letdown. They went toe-to-toe with a big rival and fell just short. They’ll be expected to win this game but they’ll have to be focused in this spot.

Portland Trail Blazers

While the Celtics got 41 points from Jayson Tatum on Sunday, the Blazers got 41 points from C.J. McCollum in a win over the Detroit Pistons. McCollum added 12 assists and nine rebounds in a performance which ranked up there with Tatum’s as an NBA masterpiece. He’s been forced to carry the load of late with Lillard out.

Portland is 16-12 straight up at home this season, which isn’t a great home record and there’s a good chance they add to the loss column because Lillard is out. He averages just under 30 points per game and is the clear-cut leader of the team. And don’t forget that the team is still without Jusuf Nurkic, who has missed the entire season, and Rodney Hood, a key reserve who has been out since December. Portland is extremely shorthanded against a quality opponent and they’re not a great home team. This doesn’t look like a great spot for them.

Who Will Win Celtics vs. Trail Blazers?

Injuries

Boston

Romeo Langford (SG)

out for season Wrist - 17 / 09 / 20

Jaylen Brown (SG)

Prob Tues Groin - 12 / 09 / 20

Vincent Poirier (C)

Prob Tues Personal - 03 / 09 / 20

Robert Williams III (C)

Prob Thurs Tailbone - 03 / 09 / 20

Tremont Waters (PG)

Prob Mon Knee - 26 / 08 / 20

Javonte Green (SG)

Prob Sun Knee - 20 / 08 / 20

Jaylen Brown (SG)

Prob Wed Thigh - 18 / 08 / 20

Gordon Hayward (SF)

Ques Sat Ankle - 17 / 08 / 20

Vincent Poirier (C)

Prob Wed Groin - 16 / 08 / 20

Romeo Langford (SG)

Prob Mon Wrist - 13 / 08 / 20

Portland

Wenyen Gabriel (PF)

Out Sat Quadricep - 29 / 08 / 20

CJ McCollum (SG)

Prob Sat Back - 25 / 08 / 20

CJ McCollum (SG)

Prob Mon Back - 23 / 08 / 20

CJ McCollum (SG)

Prob Sat Back - 22 / 08 / 20

CJ McCollum (SG)

Prob Thurs Back - 19 / 08 / 20

CJ McCollum (SG)

Prob Tues Back - 17 / 08 / 20

Zach Collins (PF)

out for season Ankle - 16 / 08 / 20

Nassir Little (SF)

Early Sept Illness - 13 / 08 / 20

CJ McCollum (SG)

Prob Thurs Back - 11 / 08 / 20

Hassan Whiteside (C)

Prob Tues Hip - 08 / 08 / 20

Injuries

Boston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Romeo Langford (SG)	out for season	Wrist - 17 / 09 / 20	2-3	4-1	+ -
Langford will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to fix the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.
Jaylen Brown (SG)	Prob Tues	Groin - 12 / 09 / 20	3-4	5-2	+ -
Brown is hampered by a groin injury, but he is expected to be active for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final versus the Heat.
Vincent Poirier (C)	Prob Tues	Personal - 03 / 09 / 20	6-5	5-6	+ -
Poirier is away from the team for the birth of his child. He is likely to return against the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second round.
Robert Williams III (C)	Prob Thurs	Tailbone - 03 / 09 / 20	6-5	5-6	+ -
Williams III is anticipated to take on the Raptors in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference second round despite injuring his tailbone.
Tremont Waters (PG)	Prob Mon	Knee - 26 / 08 / 20	7-6	5-8	+ -
Waters has a left knee sprain, but he is likely to play in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference second round versus the Raptors.
Javonte Green (SG)	Prob Sun	Knee - 20 / 08 / 20	9-6	6-9	+ -
Green is recuperating from surgery to fix a small tear to the meniscus in his right knee, but he is likely to be ready for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals versus the Heat.
Jaylen Brown (SG)	Prob Wed	Thigh - 18 / 08 / 20	10-6	6-10	+ -
Brown is expected to suit up against the 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a right thigh contusion.
Gordon Hayward (SF)	Ques Sat	Ankle - 17 / 08 / 20	10-7	6-11	+ -
Hayward is sidelined with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain, and it is unclear if he will return to action against the Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Vincent Poirier (C)	Prob Wed	Groin - 16 / 08 / 20	10-7	6-11	+ -
Porier is battling a left groin strain, but he is likely to play in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the 76ers.
Romeo Langford (SG)	Prob Mon	Wrist - 13 / 08 / 20	11-7	6-12	+ -
Langford is dealing with a sprained right wrist, but it is anticipated that he will take the court in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the 76ers.

Portland

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Wenyen Gabriel (PF)	Out Sat	Quadricep - 29 / 08 / 20	0-0	0-0	+ -
Gabriel is battling right quad tendinitis and will not be available to face the Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
CJ McCollum (SG)	Prob Sat	Back - 25 / 08 / 20	0-2	1-1	+ -
McCollum is expected to take the court against the Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round despite a vertebral fracture.
CJ McCollum (SG)	Prob Mon	Back - 23 / 08 / 20	0-3	1-2	+ -
McCollum is battling a vertebral fracture, but he is likely to take on the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference first round.
CJ McCollum (SG)	Prob Sat	Back - 22 / 08 / 20	0-3	1-2	+ -
McCollum is expected to play in Game 3 of the Western Conference first round versus the Lakers despite a vertebral fracture.
CJ McCollum (SG)	Prob Thurs	Back - 19 / 08 / 20	1-4	2-3	+ -
McCollum is expected to play in Game 2 of the Western Conference first round versus the Lakers despite a vertebral fracture.
CJ McCollum (SG)	Prob Tues	Back - 17 / 08 / 20	1-4	2-3	+ -
McCollum is likely to take on the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference first round despite a vertebral fracture.
Zach Collins (PF)	out for season	Ankle - 16 / 08 / 20	1-4	2-3	+ -
Collins will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a hairline medial malleolus stress fracture of his left ankle.
Nassir Little (SF)	Early Sept	Illness - 13 / 08 / 20	2-5	4-3	+ -
Little has been ailing from dehydration, and he is expected to miss at least two weeks.
CJ McCollum (SG)	Prob Thurs	Back - 11 / 08 / 20	3-5	5-3	+ -
McCollum is expected to play Thursday against the Nets despite a fracture in his lower back.
Hassan Whiteside (C)	Prob Tues	Hip - 08 / 08 / 20	4-6	7-3	+ -
Whiteside has missed the previous two contests due to a left hip strain. It is unlikely to affect his status for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks.