Steve Starr
- The Boston Celtics are 4.5-point home favorites against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers
- Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum rank No. 1 and No. 4, respectively in points per game
- The game tips off from the TD Garden at 7:30 pm ET on Wednesday, February 8th
Two Eastern Conference heavyweights will go head-to-head at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Celtics have a league-leading 38 wins while Philadelphia sits third in the East after winning eight of their past 10 games.
Before we look at the odds for tonight’s contest, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
Celtics vs 76ers
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +4.5 (-110) | +160 | |
| Boston Celtics | -4.5 (-110) | -190 |
Measuring stick game
Boston hasn’t missed a step without former coach Ime Udoka. Last year’s NBA finalists have the best record in the league (38-16) under new bench boss Joe Mazzulla. On Wednesday, they’ll face Doc Rivers, the coach who led the franchise to their most-recent championship back in 2008.
Joel Embiid leads the league in scoring, averaging 33.4 points with 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. James Harden has also looked good of late, averaging 2.6 three-pointers per game over his last 10. Of course, their opponents have a pretty good duo of their own. Jayson Tatum is putting up 30.9 points per game (fourth in the NBA) with 8.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists. And Jaylen Brown is averaging 20.8 points with a scorching shooting percentage (48.7) in his past ten contests.
Jalen Rose: "[The Celtics] would be foolish to trade Jaylen Brown at this point of his career and break up Jayson Tatum and that duo."
— The Celtics Fanpage (@TheCelticsFP) February 7, 2023
Will Boston trade for KD?
With Thursday’s trade deadline coming up fast, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said that the Celtics are once again inquiring about Kevin Durant. Before suffering a sprained MCL, KD was averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. However, it’s hard to see a trade being consummated for the 34-year-old future Hall of Famer.
Boston reportedly walked away from a deal this summer when Brooklyn requested Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and draft picks. While it certainly makes sense to check in with the Nets again after the Kyrie Irving trade, one would think the 26-year-old Brown would still have to be included.
Boston vs Philadelphia
Boston is a 4.5-point home favorite over Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The Celtics won the season’s first meeting 126-117 back in October, but the 76ers have caught fire of late with eight victories in their last 10 games. Doc Rivers’ club will be looking to rebound from a stunning 108-97 loss to the Knicks on Sunday that saw them blow a 21-point lead.
Joe Mazzulla’s squad is only 3-4 without their floor general Marcus Smart. He remains on the shelf with a sprained right ankle. However, back-up point guard Derrick White stepped up big in Monday’s 111-99 win over the Pistons, scoring 23 points with seven rebounds and seven assists.
Joel Embiid reacted to Harden's All-Star snub! 👀 pic.twitter.com/GIpquBhmXF
— Sportskeeda Basketball (@Basketball_SK) February 3, 2023
Best Bet
The Celtics are 7-1 against division opponents, but this one sets up well for Philly. While Boston is forced to deal with more Jaylen Brown trade rumors, the 76ers will be focused and motivated to make a statement against the NBA’s top dogs.
Take Philadelphia to cover the 4.5 points on the road. Also, keep in mind that only one team has hit the OVER at a higher rate than Doc Rivers’ club (59.6%) this season.
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