The Boston Celtics (39-16) and Philadelphia 76ers (20-34) will square off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game will broadcast live on TNT.
The Celtics are 7-point favorites over the Sixers on the spread, with the over/under set at 225.5 total points. Boston is a -290 favorite to win outright, while Philly is +235 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Celtics vs. 76ers predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, February 20.
Celtics vs 76ers Prediction
Spread
My 76ers vs. Celtics best bet is on Boston to cover the spread at -7, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
My Pick: Celtics -7
Celtics vs 76ers Odds, Lines, Picks
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -110 | 225.5 -110o / -110u | -290 |
| 76ers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 225.5 -110o / -110u | +235 |
- Celtics vs. 76ers spread: Celtics -7
- Celtics vs. 76ers over/under: 225.5 total points
- Celtics vs. 76ers moneyline: Celtics -290, 76ers +235
- Celtics vs. 76ers best bet: Celtics -7 (-110)
Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers NBA Thursday Preview
The Boston Celtics start the second half of the season in Philadelphia for a matchup against the 76ers. These teams are in dramatically different places relative to each other with Boston sitting in second in the East while Philadelphia has struggled with continuity all season with a 20-34 record good for 11th in the East.
The Sixers have been abysmal this season with a -3.4 Point Differential, 22nd in the league, per Cleaning the Glass. They are below league average in both offense and defense. However, when Joel Embiid plays with Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, the team is +2.2 – still not great; however, they are showing some signs of life.
Embiid has struggled to stay on the floor this season, and the offensive numbers are shockingly bad for this team. They are -8.3 when he's been on the floor offensively, but the defense is locked in at -9.3 – he's a net +1.1 which is a far cry from the rest of his career where he's been a double-digit positive on a yearly basis.
The Celtics are great yet again. Boston is third in Net Rating (+9.4) with the fourth-best offense and fifth-best defense, per Cleaning the Glass. They've actually won 26 fewer games than expected with these advanced stats. Boston is taking nearly 50% of their shot attempts from 3, which is a disaster for Philadelphia.
Philly allows the fifth-highest frequency of 3s and the eighth-highest percentage from beyond the arc, per Cleaning the Glass. They are susceptible from 3, especially above the break 3s.
These teams are split 1-1 on the season series; however, Philly took home the win when Joel Embiid played despite strong efforts from Tyrese Maxey in both matchups. Jayson Tatum has shown out for the Celtics in both as well.
The Sixers always play the Celtics tough; however, Boston simply outclasses Philadelphia this season. Even when Embiid has been on the floor, they have not been good enough. I expect Boston to take care of business as they come out of the break.
For a same game parlay, I'll take Tatum 30+ Points and Maxey 30+ Points, as they've had immense success in these matchups this season.
Celtics vs 76ers Best Bet
- Celtics -7 (-110)
Celtics vs 76ers Parlay Picks
- Jayson Tatum 30+ Points
- Tyrese Maxey 30+ Points
Parlay Payout: +465
Celtics vs. 76ers Betting Trends
