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USATSI

The Boston Celtics put a four-game winning streak on the line on Tuesday evening. Boston is 41-12 overall this season, and the Celtics visit the Brooklyn Nets for a battle between division rivals. The Celtics are 16-9 on the road, and the Nets are 13-16 at home this season. Brooklyn is 21-31 overall and looking for its first win over Boston this season. Cameron Johnson (adductor) is out for the Nets. Kristaps Porzingis (back) is listed as questionable for the Celtics, with Xavier Tillman (knee) ruled out.

For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the Celtics as 8.5-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 227 in the latest Celtics vs. Nets odds. Before making any Nets vs. Celtics picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.

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 17 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 55-35 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $1,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Nets vs. Celtics. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Celtics vs. Nets:

  • Celtics vs. Nets spread: Celtics -8.5
  • Celtics vs. Nets over/under: 227 points
  • Celtics vs. Nets money line: Celtics -363, Nets +287
  • Boston: The Celtics are 10-13-2 against the spread in away games
  • Brooklyn: The Nets are 15-12-2 against the spread in home games
  • Celtics vs. Nets picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Celtics can cover

Jayson Tatum leads a fantastic two-way team in Boston. Tatum is averaging 27.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game with a 60.3% true shooting mark this season, and he's been even better lately. The All-NBA forward has scored at least 20 points in 10 straight games, averaging 28.2 points and 9.1 rebounds on 50.3% field goal shooting over that sample. Boston is fantastic on offense, leading the NBA in 3-pointers (16.2 per game) and scoring more than 1.2 points per possession.

The team's defense remains elite as well, and Boston is giving up only 110.8 points per 100 possessions. That places the Celtics in the top three in overall defensive efficiency, and Boston is leading the NBA in yielding only 18.9 free throw attempts per game. Opponents are also struggling to make shots against Boston, converting just 44.9% of field goal attempts and 34.9% of 3-point attempts. The Celtics are averaging 6.6 blocked shots to rank in the top three of the NBA, and Boston is also in the top 10 in assists allowed (24.9 per game), defensive rebound rate (72.6%), and points allowed in the paint (47.7 per game). See who to back at SportsLine.

Why the Nets can cover

Mikal Bridges is the centerpiece for the Nets, averaging 21.8 points per game this season. He ups that production to 22.5 points per game at Barclays Center in 2023-24, and Bridges is averaging 24.5 points per game on 40.8% 3-point shooting over the last 16 games. Bridges is the fulcrum of Brooklyn's offense, with the Nets ranking in the top 10 of the NBA in offensive rebound rate (29.6%) and second-chance points (14.9 per game) this season. 

The Nets are also strong in ball security, committing a turnover on only 12.7% of offensive possessions, and the Celtics are near the bottom of the league in turnover creation rate (11.7%) on defense. Brooklyn also averages 26.8 assists per contest, and the Nets have defensive strengths to rely on in this setting. The Nets are in the top 10 of the NBA in opponent field goal percentage, points allowed in the paint and assists allowed, with a top-five mark in opponent 2-point percentage. Brooklyn also allows only 22.4 free throw attempts per game in 2023-24. See who to back at SportsLine.

How to make Nets vs. Celtics picks

The model has simulated Celtics vs. Nets 10,000 times and is leaning Under on the total, projecting just five players to score at least 14 points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins Celtics vs. Nets, and which side of the spread hits well over 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 55-35 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.