Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Spread, Line, Odds, Predictions, Picks and Betting Preview for NBA Basketball Game on 05/03

Get ready, folks, because the Boston Celtics are still the odds-on favorite in this series at -148 as they gear up for game number two tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers. With an 8-point spread in favor of Boston, all eyes are on Joel Embiid, who just won his first NBA MVP. The question on everyone’s mind is whether the new MVP will be on the floor tonight after missing game number one.

The Sixers managed to defy expectations in Game 1, avoiding a blowout despite Embiid’s absence. The Celtics have been playing with their food throughout the playoffs, but they remain the favorites to come out of the East at -105. Still, their performance hasn’t inspired a great deal of confidence.

Shams Charania revealed that Joel Embiid announced to his team, “I’m back,” early this afternoon and is on track to return tonight, barring any setbacks. This development adds an interesting twist to the showdown between the Celtics and the 76ers, but the line is still fairly substantial.

James Harden’s unlikely 45 points in the previous game isn’t expected to happen again, but the Celtics will need more from their role players to secure a victory. While Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 39 and 23 points, respectively, in Game 1, the team can’t solely rely on them. They’ll need help from Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Al Horford, and Robert Williams.