Blazers vs. Celtics Point Spread Prediction 3/8/24

Portland Trail Blazers (31-34 SU, 33-32-0 ATS) vs. Boston Celtics (45-21 SU, 33-31-2 ATS)
When: Wednesday, March 8th, 7:30 PM (ET)
Where: TD Garden, MA, Boston
TV: NBCS

Point Spread: Por +10.5/Bos -10.5
Total: 229.5
Money Line: Portland Trail Blazers +382/-511

Notable Injuries

Trail Blazers

• Jusuf Nurkic (Questionable) Calf
• Justise Winslow (Out) Ankle
• Ryan Arcidiacono (Out) Back
• Anfernee Simons (Out) Ankle
• Ibou Badji (Out) Knee

Celtics

• Danilo Gallinari (Out) Knee
• Robert Williams III (Out) Hamstring
• Payton Pritchard (Questionable) Heel

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Portland is 31-34 overall. When taking to the road, Portland has a mark of 14-19 and a win percentage of 42%. Currently, the team is 12th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 33-32-0 vs. the spread. In their matchup against Boston, the Portland Trail Blazers have won 2 straight games and will look to push that mark to 3 in a row.

In their last game, Portland defeated the Pistons (110-104) as 4 point favorites. Damian Lillard led the team with 31 points on 35.7% shooting. The Trail Blazers also covered the spread with the victory.

Heading into the game, Boston is 45-21 overall. When playing at home, Boston has a mark of 25-9 and a win percentage of 74%. Currently, the team is 2nd in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 33-31-2 vs. the spread. The Celtics need a win in today’s matchup vs. Portland to avoid their 4th straight loss.

In their most recent matchup, the Cavaliers defeated Boston with a score of 118-114. Jaylen Brown scored the most points for the team with 32, but it was not enough to earn the win. The Celtics were 8 points ahead going into the game.

The Historicals

In last year’s head-to-head meetings, the Trail Blazers averaged 113.0 points per game vs. Boston, which was an increase over their season-long average. Conversely, the Celtics also experienced an uptick in scoring during head-to-head matchups, averaging 125.0 points per game vs. Portland. Across the previous five head-to-head meetings between the teams, both Portland and Boston have an ATS record of 2-2-1. The Celtics hold the edge in average point differential at +4 points per game. Portland and Boston averaged a combined 240 points per game in these games, leading to an over-under mark of 5-0.

Analysis

This season, the Trail Blazers’ offense averages 114.9 points per game, which is 15th in the NBA. In terms of pace, Portland has been playing at one of the slower tempo’s in the league, averaging just 97.5 possessions per game. Portland’s offensive attack has benefited from some hot shooting from outside. Not only are they among the league leaders in 3-pointers attempted per game, but they are 8th in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.5%. The defense has been a rough spot for Portland, as they currently allow 115.11 points per game. The team’s 3-point shooting defense has been a problem this year. So far, opposing offenses have hit 36.95% of their looks from the outside.

Damian Lillard is the top scorer for the Trail Blazers, with an average of 32.4 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 46.8%. Jerami Grant is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 20.8 points per game.

For the season, Boston has put together one of the top-scoring offenses in the NBA at 117.7 points per game. When looking at their style of play, the team is currently near the league average in pace, averaging 99.5 possessions per contest. Boston’s offensive attack has benefited from some hot shooting from outside. Not only are they among the league leaders in 3-pointers attempted per game, but they are 6th in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.7%. Defensively, the Celtics have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 104.48 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 33.86%.

Jayson Tatum is the top scorer for Boston, averaging 30.3 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 46.0%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Jaylen Brown, averaging 26.6 points per game.

Betting Trends

• The Trail Blazers are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 road games.
• The Trail Blazers are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games playing on one day of rest.
• The Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS win.
• The Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The Portland Trail Blazers have been playing great lately, but when you look at who they’ve beat, it’s not quite as impressive as first thought. The Celtics get Tatum back tonight, and the Blazers don’t match up well with Boston. I’m laying the points with the Celtics and including them in some NBA teasers as well.