The 76ers had a chance to knock the Celtics out of the playoffs on Thursday in Philly, but the visitors from Massachusetts made it 3-3. Now, the series moves back to TD Garden where the Celtics are always seen as favorites. With the help of their fans, they’re expected to win on Sunday. Is there
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics NBA Playoffs Odds, Time, and Prediction
The 76ers had a chance to knock the Celtics out of the playoffs on Thursday in Philly, but the visitors from Massachusetts made it 3-3. Now, the series moves back to TD Garden where the Celtics are always seen as favorites. With the help of their fans, they’re expected to win on Sunday. Is there a way the 76ers can cause an upset in Game 7? Let’s find out!
| Spread | Odds |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers +7.5 | -105 |
| Boston Celtics -7.5 | -115 |
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | +240 |
| Boston Celtics | -303 |
| Points Total | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 202.5 | -110 |
| Under 202.5 | -110 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
- Date: Sunday, May 14, 2023
- Time: 7:30 PM
- How to Watch: NBA TV
Philadelphia 76ers Have Faith in the 2023 NBA MVP
Philly’s Joel Embiid is the new NBA MVP, but since the start of the playoffs, he hasn’t been playing at an MVP level. He did put on a couple of big performances, but not as great as in the regular season. For instance, in the 76ers last regular-season game against the Celtics, he scored 52 points, while also recording 13 rebounds and six assists.
In the most recent playoff game against the Celtics, he scored 26 points, along with 10 rebounds, and just one assist. The worst thing is that his teammates didn’t do great in that game either. James Harden, for example, scored just 13 points – and he was their third-best scorer that day.
If they want to get a shot at the Conference title, all of the 76ers will have to up their game. Unfortunately, they’re going to face super-motivated Celtics, who, on top of everything, will have their crowd to cheer them on from the stands of TD Garden.
Boston Celtics are (Almost) Impossible to Beat at TD Garden
In the regular season, the Boston Celtics went 32-9 at home. Only the Milwaukee Bucks have done the same, but even they haven’t done as great points-wise. At home, the Celtics scored more points than any other team in the conference, while also conceding the third-lowest number. That said, one can say that in the 2022-23 season, the Celtics are the best home side in the NBA.
At least, that’s true for the regular season. In the postseason, however, their home record is 3-3. Two of those three losses happened to the 76ers. The first one was a sort of glitch – Philly won the game thanks to James Harden’s vintage performance that saw him put away 45 points.
The second loss happened in Game 5, and it was a deserved win for the visitors who were brilliant in the offense. However, the Celtics seem to have learned their lesson in that match, as evident from the fact that they went to Philly in Game 6 and won 95-86. It was the 76ers’ worst offensive display of 2023.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics Prediction
We expect the Celtics to absolutely dominate this game. They’re bound to do well defensively, keeping the opposition to well under 100 points. When it comes to Boston’s offense, Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown should do great, helping their team get a win, covering the spread along the way.
Pick: Boston Celtics to win and cover the spread; under to hit
