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Sixers vs. Celtics Betting Preview (August 17, 2020)
By Russ Joy
Published:
On Monday night, the Sixers and Celtics meet in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. 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.
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Preview
The Sixers and Celtics will meet in another postseason series between two of the NBA’s most iconic franchises. Over the past 70 years, basketball fans have been treated to some simply spectacular matchups from Wilt Chamberlain v. Bill Russell to Dr. J v. Larry Bird to Allen Iverson v. Paul Pierce. Now fans will be treated to the current iteration pitting Joel Embiid’s Sixers v. Kemba Walker’s Celtics.
While the Sixers will be without the services of starting point guard Ben Simmons for this series and likely beyond, the Celtics are arguably as healthy as they’ve been at any point this season.
The Celtics went 5-3 in the Orlando bubble during the seeding round of games, though in fairness to Boston, the final game against Washington saw head coach Brad Stevens hold out all of the team’s usual starters. The Celtics proved to be a formidable scoring force in the bubble, getting key contributions from Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, and Jaylen Brown. The best sign for Boston’s chances in the postseason is the contributions from the aforementioned trio as start point guard Kemba Walker has been nursing a nagging knee injury since the NBA resumed play.
Sixers vs. Celtics Odds
Here’s the line for the Sixers and Celtics at DraftKings Sportsbook PA:
- Spread: Sixers +6, Celtics -6
- Moneyline: Sixers +205, Celtics -250
- Total: 218
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 60% chance of winning with a -2.5 point line. Interestingly, the team’s implied win probability, based on the moneyline, is 71.4%, a difference of nearly 12%. Either way, the Celtics are a strong favorite, though the FiveThirtyEight model’s tighter spread is worth taking note of for betters interested in throwing down money on the spread.
Celtics to Win and Under 218 Total Points (+170, DraftKings)
The biggest issue for predicting this series comes down to the absence of Ben Simmons. The Sixers’ starting point guard established himself as a Top-5 defensive player in the NBA this season, using his length and athleticism to effectively guard the opposing 1-4. Given the Sixers’ difficulty guarding the perimeter, Kemba Walker could feast despite a likely minutes restriction. Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum will likely be scoring factors drawing attention away from Jaylen Brown, who can knock down a crucial three with ease.
Keep in mind that three of the four regular season matchups between the teams saw the under hit.
You can get this one at DraftKings Sportsbook by clicking here.
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Bets We Like With a Sixers Win
Sixers Win and Under 218 Total Points (+460, DraftKings)
The Sixers had won four consecutive games against the Celtics dating back to the 2018-19 season prior to a 116-95 blowout Boston handed out at home to Philadelphia on February 1.
If the Sixers are to win this game, they’ll need to take advantage of a Celtics interior defense that simply cannot stack up to franchise center Joel Embiid. Former Celtic Al Horford could play a big role in spacing the floor for Embiid to feast in the paint, while the two big men could look to work some high-low action to take advantage of their size advantage.
It’s worth noting that each of the three games in which the under hit, each total was under the 218 total points threshold available at DraftKings Sportsbook.
You can get this one at DraftKings Sportsbook by clicking 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.
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Users at FOX Bet can take advantage of this “Triple Your Money” promotion in PA here and NJ here.
Sixers vs. Celtics Prediction
Pick: The FiveThirtyEight model and the oddsmakers agree that this is Boston’s game to lose. I expect a tighter game than the spread would indicate, but still a low-scoring game.
Take the Celtics to win and under 218 total points. Also, take advantage of the incredible promos from FOX Bet.
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Russ Joy is a commercial editor for XLMedia PLC, co-host of Snow The Goalie: A Flyers Podcast and It's Just Wrestling Podcast, and a Philadelphia Flyers writer for CrossingBroad.com. 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 Email: russell.joy@xlmedia.com