Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction and Betting Odds | Oct 18
Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers showdown on TNT will kick off the 2022-23 NBA season. Boston made plenty of off-the-court headlines over the last couple weeks. What can we expect in their Opening Night showdown with Philadelphia? WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his analysis.
| Tuesday, October 18 | NBA Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Boston Celtics -3 vs Philadelphia 76ers |
| Total: | 216.5 Points |
| Arena: | TD Garden in Boston |
| Game Time: | 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT |
| TV: | TNT |
Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Analysis
The Celtics finished the regular season with a 51-31 record, good for the No. 2 seed in the East due to tie-breakers. The 76ers finished the regular season with the same 51-31 record but wound up with the No. 4 seed.
Boston and Philadelphia have split their last ten head-to-head matchups. Both teams will again be contenders in the Eastern Conference and should easily land in the top-six if they remain healthy.
Unfinished Business
The Boston Celtics will look to get back on the road to the NBA Finals after falling short to the Golden State Warriors in six games last season. Things became more challenging as the team suspended head coach Ime Udoka for the season during the offseason. Replacing him will be the Joe Mazzulla, who at the age of 34, will be the youngest current head coach in the Association. Mazzulla will look to avoid the distractions and lean on the amazing wing tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics added Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari in the off-season, which gives you a capable ball handler and some added depth. Robert Williams III won’t be available to start the season as he recovers from off-season knee surgery.
Williams’ return will be crucial for a team who won with defense last season. The Celtics defense only allowed 103.9 points a game which was the least in the league, while they were middle of the pack in scoring with 110.3 points per game.
Philly Remains Formidable
The Philadelphia 76ers got off to an impressive start last season and wound up in a log jam near the top of the Eastern Conference. However they ultimately fell short in the postseason against a Miami Heat team who finished with the conference’s best record.
The 76ers were in the spotlight multiple times last season between All-Star Ben Simmons’ refusal to play for the team and the eventual trade for former MVP James Harden. Now Harden and the 76ers have had an entire offseason together to gel and build some continuity. Philadelphia also added some depth to the team with the additions of PJ Tucker, Danuel House and De’Anthony Melton.
Like the Celtics, the 76ers ranked much higher defensively last season at eighth in points allowed with only 107.3 per game. However they were below average offensively as they ranked 18th in points scored with 109.9 per game.
Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction
We will be attacking this game from a player prop perspective as Robert Williams III missing the game gives us an opening for one his teammates on a rebounding prop. In Jayson Tatum’s last 30 regular season games without Robert Williams III, he averaged 8.8 rebounds a game while clearing seven rebounds in 23 of 30 games.
With both Williams and Danilo Gallinari being out and the arrival of Malcolm Brogdon, Tatum will see more time at the 3 which should offer more rebounding opportunities. Tatum has sailed past this total in his last four games against the Philadelphia 76ers with 12, 11, 9 and 16 rebounds.
Al Horford and Joel Embiid guard each other and it’s harder for them to grab rebounds as they guard the others shot. This leaves open boards for Tatum who will be guarding either Tobias Harris or PJ Tucker.
Last season, Tatum averaged eight rebounds per game and he had 10, 9 and 6 rebounds in the preseason despite not playing 30 minutes in any games. Without Williams on the floor this play checks all the boxes for Tatum to go up and over this rebounding total.
Prediction: Jayson Tatum OVER 7.5 Rebounds (-115 at Draftkings)
NBA Tip-Off Show | October 18
WagerTalk’s NBA Tip-Off Show brings you NBA picks, predictions and odds for Tuesday, October 18. The 2022-23 NBA season tips off tonight with plenty of storylines in Boston, Golden State and Los Angeles. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of pro sports bettors as they preview tonight’s NBA action from a betting perspective.
NBA Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NBA point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all of this week’s NBA action, including this Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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