76ers vs Celtics Picks and Predictions: Boston's Depth the Difference Against Houseguests From Philly

The Boston Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on Wednesday when both teams will be hoping to come away with a big win. The Sixers just got Joel Embiid back from a rough bout with COVID-19, so Doc Rivers’ group will be energized for this one. 

Will Philadelphia roll into enemy territory and find a way to steal a win? You’ll just have to keep reading our best free NBA betting picks and predictions for 76ers vs. Celtics to find out.

76ers vs Celtics odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

The Sixers were getting 2.5 points when this line opened, but they’re down to 2-point underdogs at the time of writing. A majority of bettors are on the Celtics at the moment, which means some early sharp action is likely on Philadelphia. As for the total, the number was 210.5 at first, but it’s now 210 in some places.

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

76ers vs Celtics predictions

• Prediction: Celtics -2 (-110)
• Prediction: Under 211.5 (-110)
• Best bet: Celtics -2 (-110)

Predictions made on 12/01/2021 at 9:10 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

76ers vs Celtics game info

• Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2021
• Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: NBCSB, NBCSP

76ers vs Celtics betting preview

Injuries

76ers: Ben Simmons F (Out).
Celtics: No injuries to report.
Find our latest NBA injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Celtics are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games as favorites. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Celtics.

76ers vs Celtics picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Spread analysis

Boston had lost games to both the Brooklyn Nets and San Antonio Spurs before getting back in the win column against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, but the Celtics were on a three-game winning streak before losing both games in that earlier back-to-back. Ime Udoka’s group has won four of its last six, and the Celtics are 9-5 in their last 14 games. That has allowed them to recover from their 2-4 start to the year, and they are now at full strength coming into this meeting with the Simmons-less Sixers. 

Philadelphia got Joel Embiid back from an illness two games ago, and the big man has looked like himself. The only problem is the Sixers still have a glaring hole in their lineup without Simmons. Sure, Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a two-way terror for opposing teams, and Philadelphia still has guys like Tobias Harris and Seth Curry who can score around the two of them, but this Sixers team isn’t going to be anything special until Simmons returns or they move him for something of value. That’s the reality of playing in a league with a salary cap. It’s very hard to reach your fullest potential with dead money on the books. 

If Jaylen Brown doesn’t end up missing this game, he and Jayson Tatum will be the two best wings on the court in this game, by far. That’s enough of an edge to roll with Boston as a small home favorite, but the team also has Dennis Schroder and Marcus Smart in the backcourt. The two of them might not be All-Stars, but they are both competitive and do things that help teams win games. Then, centers Al Horford and Robert Williams III are more than capable of holding their own in any matchup. Embiid will get his in this game, but he might have to work hard for it.

All in all, Boston has enough to get the job done even without Brown, which is why this is a great number for Celtics bettors.  

Prediction: Celtics -2 (-110)

Over/Under analysis

The Under is 5-2 in Philadelphia's last seven, with the Sixers averaging just 102.6 points per game in that span. Meanwhile, the Under is also 12-9 in all of the Celtics’ games this season, and Boston is scoring just 107.1 points per game. Overall, these just aren’t teams that play an exciting brand of basketball right now. 

The Sixers might be Top-10 in the league in offensive rating, but they play at the second-slowest pace. The Celtics don’t play much faster, as they’re just 23rd in pace of play. Both teams like to slow it down and run a lot of offense in the half-court, which is why they end up in so many low-scoring games. 

For what it’s worth, the Under is 11-5 in Philadelphia’s games against division opponents under head coach Doc Rivers. It’s also 19-8 when the Sixers are coming off a game in which they scored 105 or fewer during his tenure. 

Prediction: Under 211.5 (-110)

Best bet

With the Celtics being only a 2-point favorite on some books, this is essentially a pick’em game. With Boston not likely missing anybody significant, that’s just too good of a value. Sure, the Celtics aren’t a true powerhouse in the Eastern Conference anymore, but neither is this version of the Sixers. 

Both teams are fighting to stay out of the play-in, and home-court advantage should make a big difference in this spot. Since the start of the 2019 season, Boston is 29-12-1 against the spread when coming off back-to-back road games. The Celtics will be especially fired up to be returning home after two on the road. 

Pick: Celtics -2 (-110)

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