The Boston Celtics (25-9) and Houston Rockets (22-11) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from the Toyota Center in Houston. The game will broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Celtics are 2-point favorites over the Rockets on the spread, with the over/under set at 221.5 total points. Boston is a -130 favorite to win outright, while Houston is +110 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Celtics vs. Rockets predictions and NBA picks for Friday night.
Celtics vs. Rockets Prediction, Picks
Spread
The spread for this game opened at Boston -2.5 or -3, depending on the book. This is the second night of a road back-to-back for the Celtics after they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves by 3.
The big key for this game and the way the spread moves is going to be the injury report. The Celtics were without Kristaps Porziņģis against Minnesota, likely meaning he is in and Al Horford is out for the second night.
Jaylen Brown was also inactive; his presence and how that impacts Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday is incredibly important.
If the Celtics are seemingly healthy besides Horford, I definitely want to back the Celtics.
Moneyline
The moneyline in this context makes very little sense on both sides. The Celtics shoot such a high volume of 3-pointers, and on a low -3 spread, I would rather just lay the points. On the other side, I generally always take some ML exposure when I play a short underdog, especially a home 'dog, but the +110 does not give good value for a +3 ticket.
If you like the Houston side, also just take the points.
Over/Under
The total is between 220.5 and 221.5 as of this writing. This also looms large for the injury report. Boston Celtics games in general this season have taken movement to the under, despite Boston being such a great offense. Their shooting is properly priced into the market.
They are now 18-15 and blindly profitable simply betting Celtics unders. However, if we also consider the movement in these games, if you played the opening line instead of close to the under you would do even better.
My Pick: Celtics -2 (-110)
Celtics vs. Rockets Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2 -110 | 221.5 -110 / -110 | -130 |
| Rockets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2 -110 | 221.5 -110 / -110 | +110 |
- Celtics vs. Rockets spread: Celtics -2
- Celtics vs. Rockets over/under: 221.5 total points
- Celtics vs. Rockets moneyline: Celtics -130, Rockets +110
- Celtics vs. Rockets best bet: Celtics -2 (-110)
My Rockets vs. Celtics best bet is on Boston to cover the spread (-2), 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.
Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets Preview
The Celtics have a straight-up record of 24-9 this season, but against the spread they are 12-21. I understand they have been a difficult team to back and not playing their best basketball, but all of that is factored into a low price.
What is also baked into this line is that the Rockets have recently taken a bump up in the power ratings. If this game was a month ago, the Celtics are -5.5 point favorites even on the road. I like finding those spots where recency bias may impact the odds, and like taking the Cs on a buy-low opportunity for a great team.
Celtics vs. Rockets Best Bets, Predictions
My final thought on this game is that Boston can handle Houston's physicality. We saw it against the Wolves on Thursday night, and in countless matchups against the Bucks, the Celtics are both skilled and tough.
Houston generally is a team that can bully some opponents who are not expecting the level of pushback. I think Boston will expose them by handling the physicality and also having the skill and shooting to beat them by a lot. I would not be surprised if Boston wins by 15+ if they are healthy.
Instead of a same game parlay, look toward an alternate spread of -9.5 and get the Cs to win by double digits.
Celtics vs. Rockets Picks
- Celtics -2 (-110)
- Celtics -9.5 – Alternate Spread (+230)
