The Boston Celtics aim to continue a tremendous run at TD Garden when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The Celtics are 22-2 at home this season, helping Boston to post a 37-11 overall record. The Lakers are 24-25 overall and aiming to stop a two-game losing skid. It is also the second matchup between the two sides this season, with the Celtics winning the first battle on Christmas Day. LeBron James (ankle), Anthony Davis (hip) and Cam Reddish (ankle) are all out for Los Angeles.
For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the Celtics as 15-point favorites, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 239 in the latest Lakers vs. Celtics odds. Before you make any Celtics vs. Lakers picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer 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 15 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 48-30 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning over $1,700. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Celtics. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Celtics vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Celtics spread: Celtics -15
- Lakers vs. Celtics over/under: 239 points
- Lakers vs. Celtics money line: Celtics -1325, Lakers +779
- LAL: The Lakers are 9-15 against the spread in road games
- BOS: The Celtics are 13-11 against the spread in home games
- Lakers vs. Celtics picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers have notable and clear strengths on both sides of the floor. On defense, Los Angeles is strong near the rim, including the No. 2 mark in the NBA in free throw prevention (19.7 attempts allowed per game). The Lakers are also in the top five of the NBA in defensive rebound rate, securing almost 73% of available rebounds. Los Angeles creates havoc with 7.9 steals per game, and the Lakers also keep consistent pressure on the rim on offense.
The Lakers are shooting 49.2% from the field, ranking in the top six of the league, and Los Angeles is making 56.0% of 2-point attempts. Los Angeles shot 48% from the field and 41% from 3-point range in the first matchup against Boston, and the Lakers also rank in the top eight of the league with 24.7 free throw attempts per contest. Los Angeles is in the top eight of the league in assists, averaging 28.1 per game, and Boston is near the bottom of the NBA in turnover creation (11.8 per game) and steals (6.4 per game) on defense. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is elite on both ends of the floor. While the Celtics attract considerable attention for their offensive fireworks, Boston is No. 3 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, yielding only 1.11 points per possession. The Celtics lead the league in free throw attempts allowed (19.0 per game) and blocked shots (6.5 per game), with top-five marks in opponent field goal percentage (45.2%), opponent 2-point percentage (52.4%), and opponent 3-point percentage (34.7%). Boston is also near the top of the NBA in assists allowed (24.9 per game) and defensive rebound rate (72.5%), and Los Angeles has clear shortcomings on offense.
No team is averaging fewer second-chance points per game (10.2) than Los Angeles, and the Lakers are securing only 24.7% of available offensive rebounds. The Lakers are also committing more than 14 turnovers per game on offense, while the Celtics give the ball away on only 12.5% of their offensive possessions. From there, Boston is in the top five of the NBA in offensive rating (120.5), 3-pointers per game (16.2), 3-point accuracy (38.0%), and 2-point accuracy (56.5%) this season. The Celtics have the best statistical profile in the NBA in 2023-24, and Boston is also dominant at home, winning 22 of 24 games at TD Garden. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Celtics vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 231 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time. You can only see the model's NBA picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Celtics, and which side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 48-30 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
