Celtics vs 76ers Thursday Prediction | NBA Picks Today, Best Bets
John Canady
Host · Writer
The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers will face off in an Eastern Conference showdown on Thursday as both teams return to action following the All-Star break. Boston enters this matchup riding a three-game winning streak and an 8-2 mark in their past 10 games. On the other hand, the 76ers are desperately searching for a winning recipe as they ended the first half of the season on a five-game losing skid.
Nonetheless, with the season series knotted at 1-1, the winner of this matchup will take control of the rivalry until their fourth and final game in March.
Celtics vs. 76ers
- Location: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) | Date: Thursday, Feb. 20
- Where to Watch: TNT/truTV/Max | Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Spread: Celtics -7 | Moneyline: Celtics -295 | Total: 223.5
Celtics vs. 76ers Best Bet: 76ers +7
The 76ers enter this matchup as the underdog at home, and considering the way they’ve played this season, it doesn’t come as a surprise. Philadelphia has struggled all year, in large part due to injuries. Despite that, in both games against the Celtics this season, the largest margin of victory was eight points, and that was in a comeback win for the C’s against a shorthanded Sixers squad. With the Sixers close to full health in this matchup, this game could come down to the wire, and although Philadelphia may not come away with the win, it wouldn’t be a shock to see a deficit of less than seven points.
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Celtics vs. 76ers Best Total Bet: Over 223.5
Considering the rivalry between these two teams, there’s always a little extra motivation for both sides in every matchup. As a result, more often than not, these battles turn into shootouts. So far this season, both games have lived up to the hype, with each final score exceeding the set total of 223.5 points. Between the last two games, the total points scored on average has been 230 points. That said, I’ll take the over.
Celtics Best Player Bet: Jayson Tatum 30+ Points Scored +175
Jayson Tatum elevated his game to another level down the stretch before the All-Star break, finishing with 30+ points in the Celtics’ previous three games. In addition, Boston’s superstar has finished with 30+ in each game against the 76ers this season, which gives me faith that the versatile forward will come out on fire to start this matchup.
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76ers Best Player Bet: Joel Embiid 6+ Assists +250
Joel Embiid has impressed when he’s on the court, but the problem is, he hasn’t been on the court much this season. In 17 games, the big man is averaging 24.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Embiid will likely still get his fair share of points, but with Boston prioritizing getting the ball out of the seven-footer’s hands, he’ll likely turn to facilitating. Not to mention, in his past five games, Embiid has recorded 6+ assists in four of them.
