Game 1 Predictions & Odds: 76ers vs. Celtics

• August 16, 2020
• By Kevin Rogers
• VegasInsider.com

Betting Resources

• Matchup: Game 1
• Expert Picks: Vegas Insiders
• Venue: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
• Location: Orlando, Florida
• Date: Monday, Aug. 17, 2020
• Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Bet: BetMGM | BetRivers | FanDuel | PointsBet | All

Betting Odds - 76ers vs. Celtics

Point-Spread Odds

• Celtics -5.5
• 76ers +5.5

Money-Line Odds

• Celtics -230 (Bet $100 to win $43)
• 76ers +190 (Bet $100 to win $190)

Total Odds

• Over 219
• Under 219

Series Odds

• Celtics -400
• 76ers +330

The Celtics look to bounce back against the 76ers after losing three of four meetings this season. (AP)

Inside the Betting Stats

(Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS)

Overall

• Philadelphia: 43-30 SU, 31-38-4 ATS
• Boston: 48-24 SU, 41-27-4 ATS

Bubble

• Philadelphia: 4-4 SU, 3-5 ATS
• Boston: 5-3 SU, 3-4-1 ATS

The Atlantic division race has been a tight one all season and was the only division in the league to send four teams to the playoffs. The defending champion Raptors eventually pulled away for the division title, while the Nets overcame injuries to finish as the seventh seed. In between, the long-time rivals from Boston and Philadelphia are first round opponents and one will get knocked out in this best-of-seven series.

The Celtics finished as the third seed in the Eastern Conference in their first season with Kemba Walker as their point guard. Boston has won its first round series in each of the last three postseasons, but face the 76ers in the opening round for the first time since 2002 (won by the Celtics, 3-2).

The 76ers posted the best home record in the league at 29-2 prior to the shutdown, as Philadelphia struggled on the road by going 10-24. Philadelphia had a shot at the fourth or fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, but the loss of Ben Simmons to a knee injury early during bubble play moved the Sixers down to the sixth seed.

Boston's most notable wins inside the bubble came against Toronto, 122-100 and a 128-124 victory over Portland. The Celtics built a 40-point lead in the blowout of the Raptors, while blowing a huge lead to the Blazers before holding onto the narrow victory. The Celtics lost the opener to the top-seeded Bucks, 119-112, while also falling to a beat-up Heat squad, 112-106 as five-point favorites.

Philadelphia started 1-5 ATS in the bubble, which included close losses to Indiana and Portland. The only win and cover in a meaningful game came against Orlando on August 7 in a 108-101 triumph as five-point favorites, while the 76ers blew out the Rockets in the finale as Philadelphia had already locked up the sixth seed.

Over-Under Total Notes

Overall

• Philadelphia: 39-33-1 O/U
• Boston: 34-37-1 O/U

Bubble

• Philadelphia: 5-3 O/U
• Boston: 4-3-1 O/U

Boston jumped out to a 3-0-1 'over' mark in the bubble before cashing the 'under' in three of the final four games. In the first four bubble contests, the Celtics allowed an average of 117.5 points per game, but Boston gave up 105.5 points per game in the final four games, which included 119 points against Orlando in an overtime victory.

Philadelphia was a streaky total team in the bubble as the 76ers easily hit the 'over' in the first two games against Indiana and San Antonio. However, the Sixers cashed the 'under' in back-to-back wins over the Wizards and Magic, before a 3-1 'over' run to close things out. Philadelphia eclipsed the 121-point mark in five bubble games, compared to reaching that mark only four times in the previous 32 contests pre-pandemic.

76ers vs. Celtics Head-to-Head

2019-20 Regular Season

The 76ers had the Celtics' number this season by capturing three of four regular season matchups. It started on opening night at Wells Fargo Center in late October as the Sixers cruised to a 107-93 victory as Philadelphia limited Boston to 37% shooting from the floor. Walker was held to 4-of-18 shooting from the floor and 12 points in his Celtics' debut, while all five Sixers' starters scored in double-figures, led by Simmons' 24-point output.

In the next matchup at TD Garden in Boston in mid-December, the Celtics once again led after the first quarter, but the Sixers rallied back and pulled away for a 115-109 win as short underdogs. Joel Embiid dominated the Celtics with a 38-point, 13-rebound performance, as the Sixers shot 50% from the floor and 50% from three-point range (14-of-28).

Philadelphia overcame a deficit after the first quarter for the third straight meeting as the Celtics led, 35-26 on January 9. The Sixers chipped away at the lead and outscored the Celtics, 32-18 in the fourth quarter for the 109-98 win. Walker paced the Celtics with 26 points, but Josh Richardson lifted the 76ers with 29 points, while Philadelphia won in spite of receiving only 21 points from its bench.

Boston finally broke through in the fourth meeting with another strong start by leading, 32-19 after one quarter and rolled to a 116-95 win at TD Garden on February 1. Embiid was limited to 1-of-11 shooting from the floor for 11 points, while Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 32 points for Boston. Interesting side note on Brown's stat line as he shot 12-of-13 on two-point attempts, but was 1-of-10 from three-point range.

Key Injuries

Philadelphia

• Ben Simmons: Knee - Out
• Glenn Robinson III: Hip - Out

Boston

• Romeo Langford: Wrist - Doubtful

Simmons being sidelined with a knee injury sustained in the third bubble game against the Wizards. The former top pick leaves a huge void for this Philadelphia team with a strong stat line (16.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 8.0 apg), as the Sixers will have a tall task if they want to advance to the conference semifinals for the second straight season.

Game 1 Best Bet Pick

Boston has a proven playoff track record under head coach Brad Stevens and although the Celtics have not made the Finals in over a decade, they are still a consistent squad in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have won five consecutive playoff series openers, which includes a win over the 76ers in the second round of the 2018 playoffs. Home-court advantage is obviously not a factor here, but the Celtics are just a healthier team now and should take care of business in Game 1.

Prediction: Celtics 116, 76ers 109