Celtics vs. Nets Point Spread Predictions 1/12/23

Boston Celtics (30-12 SU, 22-19-1 ATS) vs. Brooklyn Nets (27-13 SU, 20-19-1 ATS)
When: Thursday, January 12th, 7:30 PM (ET)
Where: Barclays Center, NY, Brooklyn
TV: TNT

Point Spread: BOS -3.0/ BKN +3
Total: 227.5
Money Line: Boston Celtics -151/ +126

Notable Injuries

Celtics

• Marcus Smart (Questionable) Knee
• Danilo Gallinari (Out) Knee
• Robert Williams III (Questionable) Injury Management

Nets

• Kevin Durant (Out) Knee
• Nicolas Claxton (Probable) Shoulder

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Boston is 30-12 overall. When taking to the road, Boston has a mark of 13-7 and a win percentage of 65%. Currently, the team is 1st in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 22-19-1 vs. the spread. In their matchup against Brooklyn, the Boston Celtics have won 4 straight games and will look to push that mark to 5 in a row.

In their previous game, the Boston team emerged victorious against the Pelicans, winning by a margin of 9 points as predicted. Jaylen Brown shone for the Celtics, scoring 41 points on a shooting percentage of 71.4%. The Celtics not only won the game but also successfully covered the spread.

Heading into the game, Brooklyn is 27-13 overall. When playing at home, Brooklyn has a mark of 13-5 and a win percentage of 72%. Currently, the team is 2nd in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 20-19-1 vs. the spread. Brooklyn will look to stay hot in today’s game vs. Boston, as they are the winners of 2 straight games.

The Nets from Brooklyn triumphed in their last match against the Heat, achieving a 102-101 victory. Kyrie Irving had the most points for the Nets with 29. Despite the win, the Nets did not cover the spread as 2-point favorites.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Celtics picked up the 103-92 win over the Nets. The Celtics’ margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as 2.5 point favorite. This has been the only matchup between the two teams this season. The Celtics have had the better record vs. the spread over the last five games, going 4-1. The team’s average scoring margin in these contests is 6 points per game. In these contests, they averaged a combined 216 points per game, leading to an over-under mark of 2-3.

Analysis

For the season, Boston has put together one of the top-scoring offenses in the NBA at 118.6 points per game. When looking at their style of play, the team is currently near the league average in pace, averaging 99.8 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 8th in 3-point shooting percentage at 37.0%. 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%.

As the Celtics prepare for today’s game, Jayson Tatum is their leading scorer with an average of 30.8 points per game. This season, Tatum has a field goal percentage of 47.1%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Jaylen Brown, who is averaging 27.2 points per game.

This season, the Nets’ offense averages 114.6 points per game, which is 13th in the NBA. In terms of pace, Brooklyn has been playing at one of the slower tempo’s in the league, averaging just 98.0 possessions per game. Brooklyn has struggled with their 3-point shot this season, as they are currently ranked just 2nd in 3-point shooting percentage at 39.2%. In addition, they are near the bottom of the league in attempts, at just 31.1 attempts per contest. On defense, the Nets allow an average of 112.12 points per game, placing them 18th in the league. So far, they have done a good job defending the 3-point arc, as teams are hitting just 34.46% of their looks from deep.

Kevin Durant will not be available for today’s game in Brooklyn due to an injury, as reported on the injury report. This means that Kyrie Irving will need to step up and take on the role of primary scorer for the team. This year, Irving has been averaging 26.0 points per game for the Nets.

More Picks: Oklahoma City vs. Philadelphia Point Spread Prediction 1/12/23

Betting Trends

• The Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
• The Celtics are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 Thursday games.
• The Nets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following an ATS loss.
• The Nets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

Call me crazy, but the Nets are a team that can still be successful without Durant. Watanabe is a 3-point marksmen, and T.J. Warren was playing at a very high level in his career before getting injured. I’m betting on the Nets plus the points!