Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Odds, Picks & Predictions

A pair of Atlantic Divsion teams continue their NBA first round Eastern Conference playoff series in Beantown as the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers take on the second-seeded Boston Celtics in Game 2 action Tuesday night and we break down the 76ers vs. Celtics matchup here. In Game 1 of the series Sunday, Boston cruised to a 123-91 victory at home to draw first blood in the set. The Celtics easily covered the line as a 13.5-point favorite.

In the all-time regular season series between the teams, Boston has a 275-200 advantage though the teams split four meetings this year. Boston picked up a 114-98 home win in the most recent matchup March 1. In postseason play, Boston holds a 67-50 advantage after Sunday’s triumph. Let’s break down this 76ers vs. Celtics matchup.

76ers Trying to Even Things Up

Philadelphia earned the seven seed by beating Orlando in the play-in tournament. That did them no favors in the series opener as Boston dismantled them Sunday afternoon. The 76ers look to regroup and get back in the win column here. On Sunday, Philadelphia was even at six early before giving up an 11-1 run to trail by 10. They never made a sustained charge after that. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 21 points plus eight assists while Paul George added 17 in the loss.

On the year, the 76ers are 14th in the league in scoring offense with 115.9 points per game. The 76ers are 17th in rebounding as they collect 43.6 rebounds per contest. They are 29th in assists by dishing out an average of 24.6 dimes a night. Philadelphia is 19th in the league in scoring defense as they allow an average of 116.1 points a contest. Tyrese Maxey leads the 76ers with 28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game this season. Joel Embiid (26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds), Paul George (17.3 points) and VJ Edgecombe (16 points) are good secondary scoring options.

Philadelphia is 23rd in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 46.2% from the floor as a team. The 76ers are 22nd in threes per game as they drain 12.3 triples a contest. They are 23rd in three-point shooting by connecting on 34.9% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Philadelphia stands 4th in the league in free throw shooting as they convert 80.9% of their attempts at the stripe.

Key Injury Report for 76ers:

• Center Joel Embiid (appendectomy) is questionable for this contest.

Celtics Look to Secure 2-0 Advantage

Boston used the rest edge to their advantage as they hammered Philadelphia early and coasted to the win in the opener. The Celtics raced to a 33-18 advantage after the opening quarter and never trailed in the contest. Boston is now seeking a 2-0 series advantage as they take the floor at home again here. Jaylen Brown led six Celtics in double figures with 26 points in the win. Jayson Tatum contributed 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for Boston.

For the season, the Celtics are 19th in the league in scoring offense with an average of 114.9 points per game. Boston is 3rd in the league in rebounding with 46.4 boards per contest. They stand 27th in assists by handing out 24.6 assists per game. The Celtics are 1st in the league in scoring defense as they allow 107.2 points per contest. Jaylen Brown leads the team with an average of 28.7 points plus 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per contest. Jayson Tatum contributes 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 5.3 assists a night.

Boston is 16th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 46.7% from the floor this season. The Celtics are 3rd in the league in threes per game as they hit 15.5 triples per contest. They are 8th in three-point field goal percentage by shooting 36.7% from beyond the arc. Boston is 7th in the league in free throw shooting as they convert 80.7% of their attempts at the line this season.

Key Injury Report for Celtics:

• No Key Injuries

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76ers vs. Celtics Prediction

Philadelphia simply isn’t the same team without Embiid. His late season appendectomy came at the worst possible time for the 76ers. Instead of thinking about a deep playoff run, Sixers fans have to hope they can find a way to extend this series. With the way they looked in Game 1, it’s tough to see them coming back to Beantown for Game 5. Boston shot 50% from the floor while holding Philadelphia to 38.9% shooting. There’s no interior threat for the Celtics to worry about offensively. Boston is a different team with Brown and Tatum, which we saw late in the year. Take the Celtics as they roll to a 2-0 series lead with a win here.

Our Prediction: Celtics -13.5 (BetMGM, -110)

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