Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets Game 4 odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets Game 4 lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The No. 7 seed Brooklyn Nets (0-3) try to prevent a sweep when they host the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics (3-0) Monday at Barclays Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET and airs on TNT. Below, we look at the Celtics vs. Nets Game 4 odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

Boston took Game 4 109-103 thanks to an awesome game by Celtics wing Jayson Tatum and duds by Nets leaders PF Kevin Durant and PG Kyrie Irving.

Tatum scored a game-high 39 points with 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals while KD and Kyrie each scored 16 points and Irving went 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

Game 4 went Under the 223-point total by 11 points despite both teams shooting around 50.0% from the field because Celtics-Nets played at a snail’s pace.

Celtics at Nets odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:10 a.m. ET.

  • Money line (ML): Celtics +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Nets -120 (bet $120 to win $100)
  • Against the spread: Celtics +1.5 (-110) | Nets -1.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under: 220.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)

Celtics at Nets key injuries

Celtics

  • None

Nets

  • PG Ben Simmons (reconditioning) out

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Celtics at Nets picks and predictions

Prediction

Celtics 111, Nets 107

Money line

LEAN CELTICS (+100) because I prefer to take whatever points I can get with Boston’s spread. The Celtics had more continuity entering the series but there was always a feeling that the KD and Kyrie combo would be too good to lose in the first round.

However, Boston wings Jaylen Brown and Tatum are outplaying them and the Celtics are winning the battle of possessions in this series. Boston has better turnover and rebounding rates than Brooklyn, which tells us the Celtics are playing with more focus and effort. The “eye test” confirms this as well.

Boston’s ML has also been steamed up from plus-money to the current price by sharp line movement. The “wiseguys” understand that Brooklyn’s only case for winning this game is “KD and Kyrie won’t get swept”. That’s not rooted in any basketball logic though.

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Against the spread

LEAN CELTICS +1.5 (-110) since their ML should also cash and I’d bet Boston up to -130 ML favorites if the spread goes through zero. Kyrie mentioned Brooklyn’s lack of continuity in the Game 3 postgame press conference, which pretty much sums up the Nets’ season.

Brooklyn has struggled due to on-court and off-court turmoil and has been overrated by the market despite these public issues. The Nets are 3-24 ATS in their last 27 games as home favorites. Furthermore, oddsmakers are trying to bait bettors with reverse line movement (RLM) towards Boston.

Most of the action is on the Nets -1.5 (-110) according to pregame.com, but they’ve gone from 2.5-point opening favorites down to the current price. RLM should be a red flag for any sports bettor since you have to ask yourself why the sportsbooks would make the more popular team cheaper. Hmmm.

The CELTICS PLUS POINTS is my favorite wager in this game.

Over/Under

LEAN UNDER 220.5 (-112) because this is the third-slowest paced first-round series, which trumps the elite shooting and scorers both teams have.

Or at least that’s been the case in Games 2 and 3 where both teams had impressive shooting percentages but each game went Under the total.

There’s also a line freeze in the betting market as most of the money and public is on the Over (per Pregame) but the total hasn’t budged.

It’s only a LEAN to the UNDER 220.5 (-112) because if the Nets pick up the pace to try and keep their season alive then the scoring in Game 4 will increase.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

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Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets Game 3 odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets Game 3 lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The No. 2 seed Boston Celtics (2-0) head to Barclays Center Saturday for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with the  No. 7 seed Brooklyn Nets (0-2). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game airs on ESPN. Below, we look at the Celtics vs. Nets odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

Boston held serve at home in Game 2 by rallying back from a double-digit deficit to beat Brooklyn 114-107 Wednesday.

The difference-maker in this series thus far has been the Celtics’ defense for Nets All-Star PF Kevin Durant who’s averaging an inefficient 25.0 points on 31.7% shooting (28.6% from behind the arc).

Boston is also getting a vintage performance out of C Al Horford who’s putting up 18.0 points on 72.7% true shooting (.609/.625/.750) with 10.5 rebounds and a plus-37 net rating.

There’s an outside chance of Celtics PF Robert Williams III returns in Game 3 from a knee injury and Williams’ presence makes Boston’s defense even stronger.

Celtics at Nets odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:25 a.m. ET.

  • Money line (ML): Celtics +133 (bet $100 to win $133) | Nets -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
  • Against the spread: Celtics +3.5 (-110) | Nets -3.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under: 221.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)

Celtics at Nets key injuries

Celtics

  • PF Robert Williams III (knee) questionable

Nets

  • PG Ben Simmons (reconditioning) out

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Celtics at Nets picks and predictions

Prediction

Nets 113, Celtics 111

Money line

PASS.

Brooklyn should win Game 3 and get back into this series but the Nets (-165) are too expensive considering how evenly matched these teams are. Instead of betting Brooklyn’s Game 3 ML, I’d entertain sprinkling on the Nets (+270) adjusted series price.

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Against the spread

LEAN CELTICS +3.5 (-110) because I think the Nets win this game outright and generally the team that wins the game also covers the spread. Also, you could make a credible case that the Nets could be 2-0 with this series headed back to Brooklyn.

However, ultimately, the Nets aren’t 3.5 points better than the Celtics before Williams returned and, if Williams plays, Boston’s defense is the best in the NBA.

The Celtics score 5.9 more points per 100 possessions when Williams is on the floor and their offensive rebounding rate improves by 3.3%, according to CleaningTheGlass.com.

Boston is already grabbing nearly 10% more rebounds than Brooklyn in this series and if that gap widens when Williams plays then it’s impossible to pass on the Celtics getting points.

On top of that, nearly 70% of the money is on the Nets (according to Pregame.com) but the line hasn’t budged off the opener and is even ticking down at some sportsbooks.

This line freeze tells me the oddsmakers are confident in their number and want more pro-Brooklyn action. Obviously, we don’t want to play into the House’s hand.

This is also a much more profitable spot for Boston than Brooklyn. The Celtics are 16-4 ATS on the road versus teams with a winning record. Whereas the Nets are 6-14-1 ATS at home versus teams above-.500 and 5-27-1 ATS as home favorites with a minus-7.6 ATS margin.

It’s only a LEAN to the CELTICS +3.5 (-110) because I cannot see Boston wrapping this series up this weekend and that’s what will effectively happen if the Celtics go up 3-0.

Over/Under

BET the OVER 221.5 (-112).

Both teams have a top-5 free-throw attempt rate in the playoffs, Brooklyn is fifth in effective field goal shooting and Boston is 10-7-1 O/U as a road underdog with a plus-6.2 total margin.

The assigned officiating crew for Game 3 also has a combined 130-106 O/U record, which provides even more support for an Over bet since each team gets to the charity stripe.

The Nets would be scoring more points if they attempted fewer long 2-pointers and hoisted more 3-pointers. Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash should have the Nets chucking more 3-pointers because that would extend Brooklyn’s defense and open space for KD to operate.

The OVER 221.5 (-112) is my favorite wager in this game.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Additional NBA sports coverage:
HoopsHype | Celtics Wire | LeBron Wire | Lonzo Wire | Nets Wire | Rockets Wire | Sixers Wire | Thunder Wire | Warriors Wire | Rookie Wire | List Wire

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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