Celtics vs. Wizards Pick
The Washington Wizards have lost four in a row to slip into the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs with two games remaining. Will Washington reverse its fortunes at home tonight when it is a favorite against the depleted Boston Celtics?
Game Snapshot & Odds
505 Boston Celtics +7 at 506 Washington Wizards -7; 205.5
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
8:10PM ET, Capital One Arena
TV: TNT
(Odds courtesy of sportsbook YouWager)
Public Betting Trends
As of Tuesday afternoon, 54 percent of public bets are siding with the visiting Celtics. Check out our NBA Public Betting Page for up-to-date information.
Why have the Wizards struggled lately?
When Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving was ruled out for the season following knee surgery, it was assumed that the Celtics would plummet. Other injuries such as the one to backup point guard Marcus Smart (thumb) certainly didn’t help either, but Boston has won seven of its last 10 games and is heading into the postseason with at least a small amount of confidence that it can survive without its leader.
Washington, on the other hand, was supposed to be moving up the pack in the Eastern Conference following the return of star point guard John Wall. Instead, the Wizards have been treading water and now are losers of four straight. While two of the Wizards’ four losses are respectable at Houston and Cleveland, falling 113-94 at the Bulls and 103-97 at home vs. the Hawks is indefensible. This would be a good bounceback spot against a Celtics team that could potentially be a first round opponent if the Wizards move up to the seventh spot.
Beal coming off strong game
Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal poured in 32 points on 12-of-24 shooting in the loss to Atlanta. The next-leading scorer, Kelly Oubre Jr. off the bench, finished with 13. Beal can be a bit inconsistent, but when he was on he is capable of leading Washington to wins over anyone. He is averaging 22.8 points per game to go with 4.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds. His 3-point percentage is down to 37.8 this season after eclipsing 40 percent last year.
If Washington is going to make a run at an upset in the playoffs, not only will Wall have to remain healthy and play at the top of his game but also Beal and small forward Otto Porter Jr. The Wizards aren’t quite good enough to get by without one of their key pieces like Boston is.
NBA Betting Trends
Boston
The over is 4-0 in the last four Celtics games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Boston is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a straight up loss. The under is 6-1 in the last seven Celtics games after allowing 100 points or more in the last game.
Washington
Washington is 1-5 ATS in the last six games versus Boston. The over is 4-0 in the last four Wizards games on Tuesdays. The under is 4-1 in the last five Washington home games.
Bet Tonight’s NBA Games
Prediction:
On the one hand, you have a Celtics team trying to make due without their star. On the other, Washington has struggled to put anything together lately. I’m going to roll with the Wizards here to figure it out on the fly. Washington has two games remaining and wants to sneak into the seventh seed where it gets to face Boston, whereas Toronto would be a tougher first round matchup. With the motivation factor at play, roll with the hosts here.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: WASHINGTON WIZARDS -7