Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers: Odds, Info, and Predictions – April 4, 2023

As each team has four games left in their schedule, the race for playoff positioning becomes more intense with each passing day. On Tuesday night, two of the top contenders in the NBA will battle it out for one last time in the regular season as they gear up for the playoffs. So far, the Celtics have won all three previous meetings by an average of seven points.

Heading into the final week of their season, the Celtics currently hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing the first-place Milwaukee Bucks by two games. Although Boston dominated the top spot for most of the season, they now need a miraculous finish to reclaim it. The team has been performing well recently, winning seven of their last ten games while averaging 121.8 points per game. With less formidable opponents ahead of them, a victory against Philadelphia could be significant for their chances of securing home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Celtics, who have the second shortest odds to win the title at +360, are a deep and talented team on both ends of the court, with five players averaging double figures while shooting over 40% from the field, and multiple contributors off the bench. However, their success can be largely attributed to the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both players are having career seasons and are either just entering their primes or haven’t reached it yet. Tatum is among the six players averaging 30 or more points this season, while Brown is averaging an efficient 26.7 points per game.

On the other hand, the Sixers currently sit third in the East and are likely to maintain it. They have won 10 out of their last 15 games, scoring an average of 117.5 points per game. As they prepare for their sixth consecutive playoff appearance, the organization is hoping for a more extended run this year. The Sixers have not advanced past the second round since the 2000-2001 season when they made it to the finals. With an MVP candidate and a strong supporting cast, this could be their year to break out in the playoffs.

Joel Embiid has been a reliable force for Philly for some time now, but this season he’s taken his game to a new level, making him the favorite to win MVP with odds of (-210, FanDuel). Unlike previous years, Embiid is not the only player carrying the team. James Harden, in his first full season with Philly, is averaging 21.1 points and 10.8 assists per game, while Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a breakout star this season, scoring 20.6 points per game on 48.3% shooting and 43.6% from beyond the arc, ranking sixth in the league.

With Boston pushing hard for the one seed, they just have more to play for at this moment. Although it’s a small sample size, the Celtics are 5-1 ATS as an underdog, the best in the league. Due to these factors, we expect the Celtics to cover the +2.5 point spread.