An Eastern Conference rivalry resumes on Friday as the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics lock horns for already the 2nd time this season. The Sixers took Game 1 on the road, can the men in green respond?
Prime Video has the tip at 7:00 pm ET, and I have also prepared a +385 odds Same Game Parlay which is available below. Don’t forget to check our NBA Picks for a busy 8-game slate this Friday, but now let’s get into my bet for Celtics vs 76ers!
Celtics ML (+112)
Anfernee Simons (BOS) 15+ points (+102)
Derrick White (BOS) 3+ made threes (-265)
Celtics vs 76ers Same Game Parlay odds: +385
Now you can bet any of our Celtics vs 76ers predictions at FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new-customer offer to take advantage of. If you sign up for FanDuel right now, you earn a welcome bonus worth up to $300 if your first $5 bet wins! Use this link 🔗 to join FanDuel right now and learn more.
Boston Celtics ML over Philadelphia 76ers (+112)
Celtics fans can breathe a sigh of relief as their team is finally off the mark thanks to 2 impressive wins over New Orleans and Cleveland. Next up, they’ll look to get revenge on the still-undefeated 76ers, who won the first meeting between the 2 teams on opening day 117-116. Boston actually led by as many as 13 points in that game before falling short in the 4th. Boston has improved defensively since that game, as they now rank 6th best in opponent 3-point percentage. This has generally been a favorable match-up for them; they’ve won 6 of the last 8 meetings.
As good as the 76ers have been so far, I think it’s time someone brought them back to Earth a bit. The backcourt combination of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has been lethal, and I’m sure the likes of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White won’t make the same mistake again by allowing those 2 to go off for 74 points combined. With 18 and 21 3s scored in their last 2 wins respectively, the Celtics have turned the corner. These 2 were separated by just 1 point in the first meeting; I just cannot see the 76ers going up 2-0 in the regular season series here. Give me a revenge-motivated Celtics to win.
Anfernee Simons (BOS) 15+ points (+102)
It has taken Simons a few games to settle in with his new team, but he’s proving to be a solid investment for the Celtics, who are desperate for a spark off the bench. He has provided exactly that in the last 2 wins over New Orleans and Cleveland, going for 25 and 14 points, respectively. His average for the season is at 14.8 per game, and if that keeps up or improves, he could be in the discussion for 6th man of the year down the road. Simons will benefit greatly playing in this 3-point oriented system, he’s already knocking down 3 3s per game on really solid efficiency (41.7%). The 76ers have been one of his favorite opponents during his time with the Portland Trail Blazers. In the last 10 meetings against them, he put up an average of 18.8 points while playing just 28.8 mins per game. He scored 13 in the season opener against them, and if Boston wants to win here, it will need every bit of offense it can get from its most important bench player this season.
Read our Celtics vs Sixers prediction
Derrick White (BOS) 3+ made threes (-265)
Experience will be a key factor for Derrick White in Friday’s game, as he has the edge in that department against both 76ers backcourt players Maxey and Edgecombe. It hasn’t been the most efficient of starts to the season for White, but there’s a reason his best scoring game came against Philadelphia on opening day – when he had 25 points. He has connected on 3 3s in all but 1 game so far this season, putting up double-digit attempts at 11.2 per game. The Sixers plays the 5th-fastest pace this season, and with this being a home game for them, they’ll likely push the tempo here – which will result in a high number of shot attempts. In head-to-head meetings, White has converted on 3.8 threes per game while shooting a solid 38.8%. After seeing him drain 4 3s already against Philadelphia this season, I think his numbers will hold up on Friday as well.
Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources and never miss a story
