Celtics vs. 76ers prediction: Odds, decide for Recreation 2 of NBA playoff sequence
At some point earlier than Joel Embiid received the first NBA MVP award of his career, the 76ers outlasted the Celtics to steal Recreation 1 of their Japanese Convention semifinal matchup with him on the sidelines.
What’s going to they’ve in retailer for an encore?
They’ll doubtless have their star huge man again, according to The Athletic, however oddsmakers don’t appear to count on it to occur primarily based on the best way they’ve priced the Celtics forward of Recreation 2.
We’ve already seen Boston lose as soon as as a heavy favourite on this sequence; will it occur once more in an eerily comparable spot?
Right here’s how we’re betting Wednesday’s contest, which suggestions off at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
Celtics vs. 76ers odds
(by way of BetMGM)
- Celtics -8.5 (-105), moneyline -550
- 76ers +8.5 (-115), moneyline +400
- O/U 216.5 (-110)
Celtics vs. 76ers prediction and evaluation
(8 p.m. ET on TNT)
For the sake of argument, let’s assume the worst case state of affairs for the Sixers – that Embiid doesn’t really play in spite of everything – and see if this is able to be the appropriate value if the carpet had been pulled on the final minute.
Two days in the past, the Celtics entered Recreation 1 as double-digit favorites over a 76ers squad that had been primarily written off with out its star heart.
Everyone knows how that one turned out: Philadelphia hung round into the fourth quarter and pulled off one of many 15 largest postseason upsets within the final 20 years.
So why, precisely, ought to we lay the factors with Boston in a just about an identical state of affairs?
Certain, the Celtics most likely ought to have received Recreation 1, possibly even in runaway trend.
The crew shot 85% within the first quarter and almost 75% throughout the primary half, and it completed with 58.7% effectivity from the sector behind Jayson Tatum’s team-high 39 factors and 11 rebounds.
But Boston’s defensive depth by no means matched the second, and the Sixers took full benefit, flattening 17 triples to offset Embiid’s loss offensively.
Additionally they pressured 16 turnovers and held the C’s under 40% from deep – two bellwethers of postseason struggles for this gifted however enigmatic group.
So what would change forward of Recreation 2? It’s simple to put in writing off a repeat efficiency from James Harden, who has remade himself as a facilitator lately, however he seemed each bit like the previous MVP that Philly traded for forward of final yr’s deadline.
Not solely did Harden match his postseason profession excessive in factors (45) in Monday’s offensive masterpiece, however he additionally tied his playoff profession excessive with seven 3-pointers and tried his fewest free throws (4) of any postseason sport with 30-plus factors in his profession – additional underscoring simply how unimaginable his shot-making was when his crew wanted it most.
In complete, he tried 30 photographs in Monday’s win, his third-most within the postseason and his first playoff sport with 22-plus makes an attempt since leaving Houston in 2020.
Clearly, this was a distinct model of Harden that we noticed in Recreation 1, and it’s exhausting to fully dismiss his means to duplicate that in Recreation 2 if Embiid can’t go.
The Sixers additionally survived a so-so taking pictures night time from Tyrese Maxey (41.7%), who wanted 24 photographs to attain 26 factors however has proven moments of postseason brilliance earlier than.
Crucially, their array of shooters flummoxed Boston’s protection and netted a mixed 26 makes an attempt from deep that had been both “open” or “extensive open,” per NBA’s shot monitoring.
Betting on the NBA?
I don’t see that strategy altering in Recreation 2.
The Celtics have misplaced the good thing about the doubt over the past two postseasons of their means to instantly cease turning the ball over or generate high quality seems throughout 48 minutes.
They’ve additionally now misplaced two consecutive video games as double-digit favorites: first in Recreation 5 in opposition to the Hawks and once more in Recreation 1 of this sequence.
We might not see one other outright loss on Wednesday, however I’d be leery of laying this many factors on a crew that merely hasn’t earned it.
And if Embiid is again, as all of us count on? This value is just not right.