Celtics vs. 76ers Prediction
Heated rivals will open the NBA season against each other tonight on natonal television as the Boston Celtics play at the Philadelphia 76ers. Can Philadelphia end its recent struggles against Boston by covering the spread as favorites?
Game Snapshot
511 Boston Celtics at 512 Philadelphia 76ers
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Wells Fargo Center at 7:35PM ET
TV: ESPN
Compare odds from multiple different online sportsbooks and shops for the best lines at our NBA Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers, the Sixers are a 5-point favorite to win on the spread line. The total sits at 212.5 points. As of Wednesday morning, 57 percent of public bets are coming in on host Philadelphia. Check out our NBA Public Betting Page for up-to-date information.
Celtics focused on another strong campaign
Boston no longer has Kyrie Irving running the show, but that might be for the best in the long run as it was clear the chemistry was off and the younger players on the roster were not developing as fast as they should on the offensive end with Irving being so ball-dependent. Now that Jaylen Brown has signed a big extension and more will be asked of offensively from the likes of Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward, there is still plenty of potential for another good season. The Celtics boast one of the top coaches in the NBA in Brad Stevens, while the addition of Enes Kanter should make a big difference on the offensive end in the interior. And the biggest addition is point guard Kemba Walker to replace Irving, which might be a perfect fit in that Irving might be slightly more talented but Walker is the better teammate. With Stevens being a defensive-minded coach that has the perimeter defenders to get the job done, expect another playoff squad in Boston this season.
Sixers ready to take next step
Philadelphia took the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors to the wire in the playoffs, with an unreal jumper from Kawhi Leonard rattling in to end the Sixers’ season in the conference semifinals. But that will serve as motivation this season as Philly is only behind Milwaukee in terms of odds to win the Eastern Conference. As long as center Joel Embiid can stay relatively healthy and Ben Simmons can show an improved all-around game (maybe even hit a regular season 3-pointer?), the 76ers should be in relatively good shape. Tobias Harris and former Celtic Al Horford will also huge contributors, but Philadelphia must figure out how it will space the floor after the departure of sharpshooter J.J. Redick.
NBA Betting Trends
Boston
The Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games. Boston is 0-4 ATS in its last four games versus the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia
The 76ers are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games. Philadelphia is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games versus the Atlantic Division.
Prediction:
Philadelphia is 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings against Boston, but with this being the season and home opener I see the hosts firing on all cylinders here. The Sixers want to make a statement within the Eastern Conference and who better to do that against than its biggest rival? Expect big games out of Embiid and Simmons against a Celtics team that is still figuring out who their No. 1 option is on offense to replace Irving. It’s expected to be Walker, but he might want to take a secondary role as he fits in.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS -5