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Sixers vs. Celtics Betting Preview (August 21, 2020)
By Russ Joy
Published:
On Friday evening, the Sixers and Celtics meet in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Boston absolutely throttled Philadelphia in Game 3. Can the Sixers respond? Let’s get into our Sixers-Celtics betting preview, including odds, boosts, and picks.
But before we do, FOX Bet has a 76 to 1 odds offer on any Sixers bet in August. Sign up in Pennsylvania here and in New Jersey here.
Preview
The Celtics’ loss of Gordon Hayward after 34 solid minutes for his team in Game 1 appeared to provide an opening for the Sixers to level their first-round series in Game 2. That didn’t happen. In fact, the Sixers looked like a team more interested in chasing tee times than the Larry O’Brien trophy.
The Sixers came about as close to giving up in a game as I’ve seen in nearly a decade. There were Process Era teams that showed more heart, determination, and a will to win than the squad that took the floor on Wednesday.
The only conceivable way the Sixers can get back on the board is if Joel Embiid wills his team to a decisive victory. Will Al Horford and Tobias Harris, both of whom signed large free agent contracts last offseason, take an embarrassing performance in Game 2 and use it as fuel to perform better in Game 3?
Sixers vs. Celtics Odds
Here’s the line for the Sixers and Celtics at DraftKings Sportsbook PA:
- Spread: Sixers +6, Celtics -6
- Moneyline: Sixers +200, Celtics -245
- Total: 216.5
And here are the current best available odds for the Sixers (may not display on Google AMP pages):
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”76ers” size=”300×250″ site_id=”crossingbroad”]
Bets We Like With a Celtics Win
FiveThirtyEight gives the Celtics a 58% chance of winning with a -2 point line. Interestingly, the team’s implied win probability, based on the moneyline, is 71%, a difference of 13%. It’s worth noting that the four point disparity between the FiveThirtyEight model and DraftKings Sportsbook is larger than it was ahead of Game 2.
Celtics to Win and Under 216.5 Total Points (+165, DraftKings)
The O/U for games in this series has varied a bit with Game 1 being set at 217.0 and Game 2 dropping to 214 points. After the over hit in Game 2, the O/U total has risen 2.5 points. On the surface it might seem a bit enticing to take the over, but Game 2 was the first time the over had hit after three matchups in which the total points threshold was not met. Also, 215.5 is the second-highest O/U set between these teams of their past four matchups.
After shooting 42.2% from the field, 32.3% from deep, and 88.5% at the free throw line in Game 1, the Celtics blew those numbers out, hitting 51.2% of their shots from the field and going 19/43 from behind the 3PT arc. Their only real regression came from the charity stripe, where they hit just 72.4% of their free throws.
Conversely in Game 2, the Sixers hit just 41.3% from the field (down from 46.3% in Game 1) and a woeful 23.8% from deep (down from an already underwhelming 33.3% in Game 1).
In a true must-win for the Sixers, I’d expect the averages for the teams to come in close to their season averages in a tighter defensive battle.
You can get this one at DraftKings Sportsbook by clicking here.
Bets We Like With a Sixers Win
Sixers Win and Under 216.5 Total Points (+460, DraftKings)
The only way the Sixers win this game is if Joel Embiid carries his hapless team to victory on his broad shoulders. If Josh Richardson is able to step up his game defensively alongside rookie Matisse Thybulle, there’s an outside chance the Sixers could keep this one close down the stretch.
For as bad as the Sixers’ bench production was in Game 1 aside from Alec Burks, it was arguably as bad or worse in Game 2, when the team’s reserves combined for just 20 points.
If the Sixers can turn this into a defensive battle, they might have a chance.
You can get this one at DraftKings Sportsbook by clicking here.
Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers All to Win (+1100, FOX Bet)
Our friends over at FOX Bet offered a similar prop bet on Wednesday at +900 odds and have opted to offer a Phillies/Sixers/Flyers All to Win boost at +1100 odds.
The Sixers portion of this bet is enough to give pause, but let’s take a look at the Phillies and Flyers portion of the bet.
The Phillies are a slight underdog at +100 against the Atlanta Braves, but they’ll be sending ace Aaron Nola to the mound. Nola’s been phenomenal this season, posting a 2-1 record with a 2.05 ERA. He’s coming off seven shutout innings against the New York Mets and had allowed just two total earned runs over his two previous games.
The Flyers, meanwhile, will take to the Scotiabank Arena ice Friday night looking to close out the Montreal Canadiens. Following a heated, chippy game in which they dropped a 5-3 result following a late empty-net goal. Head coach Alain Vigneault has embraced the role of the villain and should have his team ready to go for Game 6.
If you want to remove the Sixers from this portion of the bet, you can get the Phillies and Flyers both to win at +260 at FOX Bet.
New users at FOX Bet can get a $20 free bet with no deposit and a $100 deposit match when they sign up in PA here and NJ here.
Bets We Like Independent of Outcome
Any Sixers Bet (76 to 1 Odds FOX Bet)
As noted above, FOX Bet is has a wild 76 to 1 odds offer on any Sixers bet this month. Sign up using the links here depending on your state and place your first bet for $1 on any Sixers single game bet (opt-in by selecting “challenges” once you’re signed up). You’ll be credited $76 win or lose.
New users at FOX Bet can get a $20 free bet with no deposit and a $100 deposit match when they sign up in PA here and NJ here.
Embiid Over 0.5 Dunks and Phillies to Win (+200, FOX Bet)
Expect an engaged Joel Embiid early, looking to assert his dominance against a Celtics’ interior defense that hasn’t solved the Sixers’ big man. Embiid getting at least one dunk is a… slam dunk of a bet. If you want to parlay that with the Phillies to win with their ace Aaron Nola on the mound, you can get it at FOX Bet at +200 odds.
A max bet of $250 could pay out $750.
Users at FOX Bet can take advantage of this promotion in PA here and NJ here.
Sixers vs. Celtics Prediction
Pick: The Sixers should come out with a real sense of desperation as a loss in Game 3 would all but end this series. That said, we expect the Celtics to hold off the Philadelphia in a closer game than many might expect.
Take the Celtics to win and under 216.5 total points.
Russ Joy hosts The Russ Joy Show, Snow The Goalie: A Flyers Podcast, and It's Just Wrestling Podcast. He's blogged about Philly sports on Crossing Broad since before the Eagles won a Super Bowl. A graduate of West Chester University of PA and California University of PA, Russ is also a husband and father of four. Follow him on Twitter: @JoyOnBroad