Jayson Tatum
USATSI

The Brooklyn Nets are fired up after a tense road game, and they will try to close out the Boston Celtics at home on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their series in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Brooklyn took a 3-1 series lead with an emphatic 141-126 victory in Boston on Sunday, and former Celtics star Kyrie Irving was heckled throughout and nearly hit with a water bottle following the game. The tension fueled the Nets to a dominant performance, with Kevin Durant scoring a game-high 42 points and Irving adding 39, and James Harden scored 23 and had 18 assists. Jayson Tatum scored 40 for the shorthanded Celtics.       

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at the Barclays Center. The latest Nets vs. Celtics odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Brooklyn as a 12.5-point favorite. The over-under for total points expected is 234.5, up three points from the opening line. Before finalizing any Celtics vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up almost $900 on its top-rated picks this season and entered the second full week of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on a stunning 100-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Celtics in the NBA Playoffs 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Celtics vs. Nets:

  • Celtics vs. Nets: Brooklyn -12.5
  • Celtics vs. Nets over-under: 234.5
  • Celtics vs. Nets money line: Boston +625, Brooklyn -950
  • BOS: Tatum has scored at least 22 points in 13 of his past 15 games.
  • BKN: Brooklyn has won six of the past seven meetings against the Celtics.

Why the Nets can cover

Brooklyn has overwhelmed the Celtics, who have relied heavily on Tatum's heroics. It hasn't been enough, with the Nets trio combining for more than 85 points per game and Joe Harris drilling 3-pointers. The Nets led the NBA in field-goal percentage (49.4) and were second in scoring offense (118.6 points per game) and 3-point shooting (39.2). They are right at those numbers in the playoffs and are 3-1 against the spread in the series, winning by 11, 15 and 22.

Durant, Harden and Irving are all averaging more than 6.5 rebounds in the series, and Harden is chipping in almost 11 assists. Harris has been rolling from outside, making 15 of 28 3-pointers (53.6 percent). The Celtics ranked 22nd in the NBA in opponent 3-point shooting (37.4 percent), so Harris has found plenty of open looks. The Nets are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine overall, while Boston is 0-9 in its last nine with only one day of rest.   

Why the Celtics can cover

Boston is 6-1 against the spread in its past seven as a road underdog, and Tatum has been trying to single-handedly keep the Celtics in the series. With guard Jaylen Brown (wrist, out), Kemba Walker (knee, doubtful) and center Robert Williams (ankle, doubtful) ailing, he has given a valiant effort. Tatum is averaging 30.3 points in the playoffs and has 90 over the past two games. He became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 50, behind Rick Barry and Michael Jordan, in Game 3.

Tatum has been adept at knowing when to score and when to set up teammates, averaging 4.5 assists. He also has been relentless on defense, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. Guard Marcus Smart is averaging 18.8 points and 6.5 assists, and Walker could return after a couple of days of rest. He is scoring almost 13 per game, one of five in double figures. Brooklyn's defense was 21st in the NBA during the regular season, allowing more than 114 points per game.         

How to make Celtics vs. Nets picks

SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 224 total points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Celtics vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.