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The Philadelphia 76ers (21-40) and Boston Celtics (44-18) meet Thursday at the TD Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the 76ers vs. Celtics odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Celtics lead 2-1
Philadelphia’s struggles continued Tuesday with a 126-112 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking its 11th defeat in 12 games. The Sixers failed to cover as a 13-point road underdog as the Over (222) hit. G Quentin Grimes led all scorers with 30 points, adding 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
Boston won its second straight game on Wednesday, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-118 and covering as a 5.5-point home favorite as the Under (236.5) hit. The Celtics’ backcourt dominated as G Payton Pritchard delivered a massive performance off the bench, posting a game-high 43 points with 10 rebounds and 5 assists, and G Derrick White scored 41 points.
Boston won both games played in Philadelphia — 118-110 on Feb. 2 and 124-104 on Feb. 20 — after losing the first meeting to the Sixers 118-114 at TD Garden on Dec. 25.
76ers at Celtics odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:29 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): 76ers +625 (bet $100 to win $625) | Celtics -1000 (bet $1,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): 76ers +14.5 (-115) | Celtics -14.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 223.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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76ers at Celtics key injuries
76ers
- F Justin Edwards (ankle) questionable
- F Paul George (groin) questionable
- G Kyle Lowry (hip) out
- G Tyrese Maxey (back) out
Celtics
(Not yet submitted — below was for Sunday’s game)
- G Jrue Holiday (hand) out
- F Kristaps Porzingis (illness) out
- F Jayson Tatum (shoulder) out
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
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76ers at Celtics picks and predictions
Prediction
Celtics 117, 76ers 108
Moneyline
PASS.
The Celtics (-1000) take this game at home on Thursday night, but this game will be tighter than most would expect. I’ll take my wager to the spread.
Against the spread
BET 76ERS +14.5 (–115).
Boston enters this matchup as the clear superior team and is firmly locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, with Tatum, Holiday, and Porziņģis likely sidelined, the Celtics will be missing significant offensive firepower. While they remain capable of securing a win, expect a competitive game as Philadelphia fights to keep its postseason hopes alive, sitting 2 1/2 games out of the last play-in tournament spot. The 76ers have covered in 2 of the last 3 meetings and 3 of the last 5, making them a viable ATS option.
Over/Under
BET OVER 223.5 (-105).
The Over has hit in 5 of the last 6 games between these teams, and recent trends suggest another high-scoring game Thursday.
Philadelphia has gone Over in 3 of its last 5 games, with the 2 Unders coming at higher totals. Boston has hit the Over in 2 of its last 3 games, only missing a 236 total. Given the trends and offensive potential, this game has a strong chance to clear the number.
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