The Philadelphia 76ers (33-24) visit the Boston Celtics (45-12) in an Eastern Conference matchup on Tuesday evening. The Celtics are the No. 1 seed in the conference and own a commanding 7.5-game lead. Meanwhile, Philadelphia sits as the fifth seed. The Sixers are 12th in the NBA in scoring (117.3), while the Celtics are fifth in points allowed (110.4). Joel Embiid (knee) remains out for Philadelphia.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics are 11.5-point favorites in the latest 76ers vs. Celtics odds, per SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 231.5. Before making any Celtics vs. 76ers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 19 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 63-39 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Sixers. You can visit SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Sixers vs. Celtics:
- 76ers vs. Celtics spread: Boston -11.5
- 76ers vs. Celtics over/under: 231.5 points
- 76ers vs. Celtics money line: Boston -643, Philadelphia +464
- BOS: The Boston Celtics have hit the 2Q Game Total Over in 30 of their last 44 games
- PHI: The Philadelphia 76ers are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 games
- 76ers vs. Celtics picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the 76ers can cover
With Embiid out, guard Tyrese Maxey is being forced to take on more of the scoring load. Maxey has a smooth jumper, while also owning the quickness to get into the paint consistently. The 23-year-old is averaging 25.8 points and 6.4 assists per game. He's scored 24-plus points in three straight games. In his last outing, Maxey finished with 24 points, seven assists and three steals.
Forward Tobias Harris is a three-level scorer in the frontcourt. Harris does the most damage on the perimeter as a jump shooter, though he also has sound awareness as a rebounder. The Tennessee product logs 17.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. On Feb. 23 versus the Cavaliers, Harris had 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Celtics can cover
Forward Jaylen Brown has superb athleticism to fly down the lane and finish above the rim. Brown plays with high energy on both sides while creating own shot consistently. The three-time All-Star logs 22.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. In his previous contest, Brown totaled 30 points and eight rebounds.
Guard Jrue Holiday is one of the best defenders in the league. Holiday has the instincts and awareness to be a dependable defender on positions from 1-3. The 33-year-old logs 13 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. In Saturday's win over the New York Knicks, Holiday racked up 12 points, six assists, and two steals. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make 76ers vs. Celtics picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 235 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Sixers, and which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 63-39 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
