Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Prediction, NBA Odds
-
Edgar Chaput
The floor is crumbling underneath Jacque Vaughn’s Brooklyn ensemble. They were struggling during Kevin Durant’s injury absence, and now they don’t have him for any rescue mission. As for the Celtics, they now must give Milwaukee chase for first place rather than the other way around.
Check the NBA odds as they develop.
Nets vs. Celtics NBA Betting Odds
The Massachusetts-based squad is looking to complete a season sweep of its Atlantic Division rivals. Boston has mopped the court with Brooklyn this season, winning by 11, 11, and 43 points. That’s not a typo. 43. The latter was the final timeKyrie Irving suited up as a member of the Nets organization.
A season that began with so much potential is going down in flames for Brooklyn. 2-8 in their last 10, with some rather terrible losses, speaks to how difficult the final stretch of the regular season could be. They’re in a playoff spot today, but also free-falling. Betters may still cling to some hope. Despite that 2-8 win-loss tally, the club is an okay 5-5 against the spread over that stretch.
Conversely, betters wooed by the Celtics’ recent success ATS have been reminded that the team specializes in winning mostly close games. Even Wednesday night, after pounding Cleveland for three quarters, saw the game end by four points against a 4.5 spread. They haven’t covered in three of their previous four, although it feels as though Brooklyn is ripe for the picking.
Brooklyn Nets
One can say it was a fun ride while it lasted, but whom are we kidding? The current slide Brooklyn is experiencing feels like the inexorable pull into a dark hole that has loomed on the horizon since late last season. Compounding matters was a visit to regional rivals the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
New York has been hot lately, and hosting a faltering Nets team was easy pickings. From the outset the Knicks bombed three points, breaking Brooklyn’s spirit uncomfortably early into the game. By the time 12 minutes had been played, the hosts led 47-29. 60.7 per cent field goal efficiency provided the cushion New York needed to pretty much coast through the game, to say nothing of their scintillating 57.1 from beyond the arc. Jalen Brunson was in one of those moods, hitting 5 of 6 threes and finishing with 39 points. Quentin Grimes wasn’t too shabby either, hitting 6 of 9 threes. Cam Johnson was the star for Brooklyn, finishing with a team-leading 33. Ultimately, the Nets were thoroughly outclassed by the Knicks, who claimed a 142-118 win.
Boston Celtics
While the Nets-Knicks game transpired, over in Boston one of the night’s more intriguing contests unfolded. The Cleveland Cavaliers – best defensive club in the NBA, no less – were in town to take the powerful Celtics down a peg.
The 117-113 final in favour of the Celtics is misleading. It might sound peculiar to read, but the contest was simultaneously a blowout and a close affair. The hosts reverted to their traditional way of obliterating opponents with the three ball, shooting a fantastic 50 per cent from distance. Coupled with their fine free throw shooting (23-28), it didn’t really matter that the Cavs handily won the points in the paint 68-44. Or it mostly didn’t matter. With all five Celtic starters surpassing double-digits in points – led by Jayson Tatum’s 41 and Al Horford’s 23 – the visitors, themselves led by Donovan Mitchell’s 44 points, mounted a late fourth quarter comeback. In fact, Cleveland dominated the final period 35-21, but it was too little, too late. Celtics win 117-113. Unbelievably, three Celtics had 11 rebounds each: Tatum, Horford, and Robert Williams III.
BK
BOS