Celtics vs. 76ers Prediction & Odds
The second-seeded Boston Celtics remain in Philadelphia to take on the #3-seed 76ers on ESPN Sunday afternoon at 3:30 PM ET in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Can the 76ers cover the 2.5-point spread as home underdogs?
Boston leads the series 2-1.
The Boston Celtics went 57-25 on the season. They are 6-3 in the playoffs this year. The Celtics are 52-39 ATS on the year.
The Philadelphia 76ers went 54-28 in the regular season. They’re 5-2 in the playoffs this year. The 76ers are 51-36-2 ATS on the year.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
537 Boston Celtics (-2.5) at 538 Philadelphia 76ers (+2.5); O/U 214.5
3:30 PM ET, Sunday, May 7, 2023
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Celtics vs. 76ers Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 71% of public bettors are currently backing the Celtics -2.5 in this contest. Note that these numbers are subject to change, so be sure to check the link to receive the most up-to-date public betting data.
Boston Celtics DFS Spin
Boston point guard Marcus Smart is questionable for Sunday afternoon’s game with a left ankle sprain. Smart is one of the Celtics’ best perimeter defenders and is averaging 15.8 points and 4.9 assists per game in the postseason this year.
If Smart is unable to play or limited, the Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon could see an increase in minutes. Brogdon won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2023. In 9 playoff games, Brogdon is averaging 15.3 points, 4.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2 made three-pointers per game. His three-point shooting (38.3% in the playoffs) could offer some value in DFS on Sunday.
Philadelphia 76ers DFS Spin
Sixers center and NBA MVP Joel Embiid is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s tilt with the Celtics. Embiid is battling a right knee sprain. He missed Game 1 of this series but was able to suit up for Games 2 and 3. Embiid may be finding his sea legs in this series as he poured in 30 points and snagged 13 rebounds in Game 3. He could be primed for a big day with Philadelphia’s back against the wall on Sunday.
Philly point guard Tyrese Maxey will likely be an X-factor for the Sixers this weekend. Maxey is third on the team in postseason scoring with 19.9 points per game and his three-point shooting (40.4% on 7.4 attempts per game these playoffs) could make him worth a look in the majority of DFS formats.
Celtics vs. 76ers NBA Betting Trends
Philadelphia is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 Sunday games.
Philadelphia is 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games against a team with a winning straight-up record.
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
The over is 8-1 in Boston’s last 9 games playing on 1 day of rest.
Celtics vs. 76ers NBA Prediction
This is an absolute must-win game for the Sixers. They are trailing in the series 2-1 and a loss on Sunday would mean that they’d have to go back to Boston down 3-1 and the Celtics would have a chance to close them out at home. That would be the doomsday scenario for Philly.
The 76ers do have a few statistical trends that strengthen their case for Sunday’s game. Philly is 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a double-digit loss at home. The Sixers are also 4-2 ATS as a home underdog this season. Finally, Philadelphia is 29-18-2 ATS this season when playing a team on equal rest. That’s the second-best mark in the league. I believe that Philly will keep their playoff hopes alive on Sunday and either win this game outright or come quite close.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS +2.5
