NBA odds say take Celtics in revenge game against 76ers
By Phil Watson
It’s a light night with only 4 games, but the NBA odds show the Boston Celtics could be a good revenge bet as 1½-point home favorites over the 76ers.
When it comes to NBA odds, a light day on the schedule could mean a lack of games about which to have a lot of confidence. Thursday’s four-game NBA slate, however, has a delicious opportunity for the Boston Celtics to exact a bit of revenge from the Philadelphia 76ers after being beaten soundly in the City of Brotherly Love in their opener.
The Celtics come into this game as 1½-point favorites at home, according to information provided courtesy of The Action Network. Boston got thumped in that first meeting with the Sixers on Oct. 23, taking a 107-93 loss. The total margin of defeat in the other five losses the Celtics have taken is 18 points, making the Philadelphia loss far and away their most lopsided of the season.
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Of course, one of those losses came Wednesday night in a 122-117 defeat at Indiana, so Boston is on the back end of a road-home SEGABABA, while the 76ers have not played since beating the Nuggets 97-92 in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The Sixers can throw a lot of length at opponents defensively, particularly since they got Josh Richardson back from a hamstring injury on Tuesday. But he looked a bit rusty and the Celtics have three players — Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — averaging more than or just about 20 points per game (Brown is at 19.9).
That’s a lot of court to cover and that will now come against a Boston team that has played together for more than a quarter of the season, meaning the squad is more comfortable with its system, strengths and weaknesses than it was in Game No. 1.
Another reason to steer toward the Celtics: They are 4-1 ATS over their last five games, while Philadelphia has mustered just three covers in its last nine contests, even if the Sixers are 7-2 straight up over that span. Boston is also 5-0 ATS in its last five games against the 76ers at TD Garden.
Presuming the Bucks remain scorching hot, it’s shaping up like the Celtics and 76ers could be fighting for the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference, so it’s an important game — even if it is only in mid-December. Boston needs to get one back from Philly in the tiebreaker race, if nothing else.
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics (minus 1½)
TV: NBC Sports Boston, TNT
Tickets: TD Garden, 8 p.m. Eastern
Records (per The Action Network): Philadelphia 18-7 (12-13 ATS, 5-7 road ATS), Boston 17-6 (14-7-2 ATS, 7-2-1 ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday)
Philadelphia: OUT–Jonah Bolden (G League), Norvel Pelle (two-way, G League), Marial Shayok (two-way, G League), Zhaire Smith (right lower leg laceration).
Boston: Not submitted. In Wednesday’s 122-117 loss at Indiana, the Celtics were without Tacko Fall (two-way, G League), Marcus Smart (left eye infection), Tremont Waters (two-way, G League) and Robert Williams (left hip soreness).
Looking at the NBA odds for the rest of the schedule:
Cleveland Cavaliers at San Antonio Spurs (minus 10)
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, Fox Sports Southwest-San Antonio
Tickets: AT&T Center, 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records (per The Action Network): Cleveland 5-19 (9-13-2 ATS, 4-6-1 road ATS), San Antonio 9-14 (6-17 ATS, 3-10 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday)
Cleveland: Not submitted. While losing at home Wednesday to the Rockets, the Cavaliers did not have Tyler Cook (two-way, G League), Dean Wade (two-way, G League) or Dylan Windler (stress reaction, left lower leg).
San Antonio: OUT–Drew Eubanks (two-way, G League), Keldon Johnson (G League), Luka Samanic (G League), Quinndary Weatherspoon (two-way, G League).
Notable: The Cleveland Cavaliers got their first cover in five games on Wednesday, losing at home to the Rockets 116-110 as 11½-point underdogs, but the Cavs have lost eight in a row and 14 of their last 15 SU. The San Antonio Spurs haven’t been much better at 4-11 ATS over their last 15 games, the same as their record SU.
These are two of the worst performing teams in the NBA this season in terms of the point spread. Cleveland’s 9-13-2 ATS record ranks 27th in the NBA, while San Antonio’s 6-17 is dead last at No.. 30 and by a considerable margin. This is the first of two meetings between these teams, but this game might best be one that is left alone.
Dallas Mavericks (minus 5) at Detroit Pistons — Mexico City
TV: Fox Sports Southwest-Dallas, Fox Sports Detroit
Tickets: Arena Ciudad de Mexico, 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. local)
Records (per The Action Network): Dallas 16-7 (14-9 ATS, 8-2 road ATS), Detroit 10-14 (10-13-1 ATS, 7-5 home ATS, 3-8-1 road ATS).
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday)
Dallas: OUT–Antonius Cleveland (two-way, G League), Josh Reaves (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–Delon Wright (right adductor strain).
Detroit: OUT–Jordan Bone (two-way, G League), Sekou Doumbouya (G League), Reggie Jackson (stress reaction, left lumbar spine), Louis King (two-way, G League), Khyri Thomas (right foot surgery).
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Notable: In the continuing fascination by U.S.-based sports leagues to export their product, the Detroit Pistons give up a home game to serve as the “home” team in Mexico City on Thursday night. The Pistons beat the Pelicans on Monday and are both 4-1 ATS and SU over their last five games. The Dallas Mavericks are 5-1 ATS over their last six contests.
This is the first meeting between the teams this season, with the Mavericks having had a five-game winning streak ended at home Sunday in an inexplicable loss to the Kings. That has been Dallas’ Achilles heel this season — playing down to their competition. The Mavs have already been swept in two games by the Knicks and have home losses to the Blazers and Kings.
Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets (minus 6)
TV: TNT
Tickets: Pepsi Center, 10:30 p.m. Eastern (8:30 p.m. local)
Records (per The Action Network): Portland 10-15 (11-14 ATS, 7-7 road ATS), Denver 14-8 (10-11-1 ATS, 5-6 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday)
Portland: OUT–Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), Rodney Hood (left Achilles tendon rupture), Jusuf Nurkic (left leg fracture).
Denver: OUT–Bol Bol (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–Paul Millsap (left foot soreness), Jamal Murray (right trunk contusion).
Notable: Both the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets have struggled to cover of late, with each going just 2-4 ATS over their last six games respectively. Similarly, each team has split its last 10 games overall, going 5-5 SU. The Nuggets, however, are in a tailspin, with three straight losses SU and having dropped five of their last six overall.
This is the first game in Denver between the Northwest Division rivals, with the Nuggets getting a 108-100 win and covering as 1½-point favorites in Portland on Oct. 23. If you are looking for an ever-so-slight potential advantage, the Blazers are 2-2 ATS in their last four games, while Denver has covered three of its last five at home. (Hey, I did say “slight.”)