Celtics vs. Warriors Spread Prediction
Having lost four of their last five and seven of their last 10, the Boston Celtics are a mess. Things don’t get any easier for the Celtics on Tuesday night in Oakland, where they’ll visit the defending champion Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET. Despite their struggles, is there value in the Celtics as a sizable road dog?
Game Snapshot
525 Boston Celtics at 526 Golden State Warriors
10:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
Our NBA Live Odds page pulls spreads and totals from multiple different online sportsbooks so you can compare betting odds to ensure you’re getting the best line.
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sportsbook BetNow.eu, the Warriors are 9-point favorites to beat the Celtics. The total, meanwhile, sits at 228.5 points and as of this writing, 78% of the public betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Warriors to cover the point spread.
Boston Celtics Fantasy Spin
Marcus Smart was efficient in 36 minutes on Sunday, scoring 18 points (4-of-8 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs) with six assists, four rebounds, three 3-pointers and one steal. Before tonight’s game, Celtics coach Brad Stevens stumped for Smart to be recognized as a defensive ace. “I really hope Marcus finally gets recognized as an All-Defensive team member,” Stevens said. “He’s always into people, he’s physical, he’s tough, he’s got a motor, he’s got great hands. He should be on that team.” Steals are still the bedrock of Smart’s fantasy appeal, but he’s also chipped in 1.6 triples, 4.0 dimes and 3.0 rebounds on his way to top-100 value this season.
Golden State Warriors Fantasy Spin
Klay Thompson (knee) did not practice on Monday and is being listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Celtics. Thompson’s MRI did come back clean, and he was spotted getting up shots following Monday’s practice without a knee brace and he appeared to be moving around relatively well. However, with the amount of depth the Dubs have, it would make sense to give him Tuesday off with their next game not coming until Friday against the Nuggets. If Thompson is forced to sit, Damion Lee could get the start, but he wouldn’t be a great DFS target with the rest of the starters healthy.
NBA Betting Trends
Boston
The Celtics are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in its previous game.
Golden State
The Warriors failed to cover the spread in nine of their last 10 games and are 0-6 against the number in their last six games coming off a win.
Prediction
There’s nothing to like about Boston right now. The Celtics are a dysfunctional mess and are playing like a tight, frustrated team on the verge of a complete collapse. The Warriors aren’t firing on all cylinders but that’s because Steve Kerr is balancing winning games with resting players for a long stretch run. I expect Golden State to play its best tonight and while the Warriors are expensive as a 9-point favorite, I don’t trust the Celtics in their current state.
Tuesday NBA Prediction: Golden State Warriors -9