The Brooklyn Nets aim to stop a losing skid when they host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. The Nets have lost eight games in a row, falling to 29-24 this season, while the Celtics are on a five-game winning streak, improving to 30-25 overall and 12-15 in road games. Kevin Durant (knee), Joe Harris (ankle), Kyrie Irving (restricted), LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle), James Harden (hamstring) and Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) are out for Brooklyn. Bol Bol (foot) and PJ Dozier (knee) are out for Boston.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Boston as a nine-point road favorite, 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 212.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Nets odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Celtics vs. Nets match-up, 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 well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 17 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 65-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Celtics, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Celtics vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Celtics spread: Celtics -9
- Nets vs. Celtics over-under: 212.5 points
- Nets vs. Celtics money line: Celtics -420, Nets +320
- BOS: The Celtics are 14-12-1 against the spread in road games
- BKN: The Nets are 5-19-1 against the spread in home games
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is playing fantastic basketball in recent days, winning five games in a row and out-scoring opponents by more than 18 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics are performing well on offense over that sample, scoring 1.14 points per possession, but the defense is dominating, holding the opposition to less than a point per possession. That is in line with a tremendous season-long profile on defense, with the Celtics ranking No. 4 in the NBA in defensive efficiency and allowing only 105.5 points per 100 possessions.
Boston leads the league in two-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot only 49.3 percent inside the arc, and the Celtics are No. 2 in field goal percentage allowed at 43.3 percent. Boston also leads the NBA in assist prevention, allowing only 21.6 per game, and the Celtics are No. 2 in the league in blocked shots (5.9 per game) and points allowed in the paint (41.7 per game). The Celtics round out the profile with top-10 marks in turnovers created (14.0 per game), free throw attempts allowed (20.5 per game) and second-chance points allowed (12.3 per game).
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn is tremendous on the offensive side of the floor, and that effectiveness shows up in the team's statistical profile. The Nets are scoring almost 1.12 points per possession, a top-eight figure in the NBA, and Brooklyn is in the top five of the NBA in field-goal percentage (47.0 percent) and free-throw percentage (81.6 percent). The Nets are in the top 10 in assists per game (25.3), assist percentage (61.0 percent) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.81), with an above-average mark in fast break points (13.2 per game).
On defense, the Nets are allowing only 44.6 percent shooting to opponents, including 33.1 percent from 3-point range. Brooklyn blocks 5.5 shots per game, and opponents are averaging only 23.7 assists per game against the Nets. Boston's offense is below-average on a per-possession basis, with the Celtics ranking No. 22 in field-goal percentage, No. 22 in 3-point percentage and in the bottom 10 of the NBA in both assists and free-throw attempts.
How to make Celtics vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 205 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nets vs. Celtics? And which side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
