Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Pick ATS 12/1/21

When: Wednesday December 01 2021, 07:30 PM (ET)

Where: TD Garden: Boston, Massachusetts

TV: NBCSP

Point Spread: PHI 2.5/BOS -2.5 (Opened at BOS -2.5 at BetNow – Fatten your bankroll with a 100% REAL CASH bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $1000!)

Total: 210.5 (Opened at 211.5 )

Money Line: Philadelphia +114/Boston -137)

Power Rating: PHI -3

Probable Starting Lineups

76ers: PG Tyrese Maxey, SG Seth Curry, SF Shake Milton, PF Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid

Celtics: PG Marcus Smart, SG Jaylen Brown, SF Jayson Tatum, PF Robert Williams, C Al Horford

Key Injuries

76ers
Grant Riller: knee (OUT) Ben Simmons: holdout (OUT)

Celtics
Jaylen Brown: undisclosed (QUESTIONABLE) Dennis Schroder: ankle (PROBABLE) Robert Williams III: illness (PROBABLE)

Recent Form

The Philadelphia 76ers enter today’s game, having won just 3 of their past ten games. However, when playing away from home, the 76ers are an above .500 team, having gone 6-5. As the road team, the Philadelphia travels to Boston with a negative plus-minus of rating -0.5 points. Overall the 76ers are ranked 13th among NBA teams in point differential (5.9). Among NBA teams, they have played the 13th toughest schedule.

For bettors, taking the Philadelphia 76ers to cover the spread has been a losing bet as they are covering in 47.60% of their games. Their season-long plus-minus against the spread is +1.2.

While Joel Embiid was absent from the team, the team’s leading scorer was PG Tyrese Maxey. So far, Maxey is averaging 18.05 points per game, placing him at 13th among point guards. Philly’s best three-point shooter has been Seth Curry, connecting on 2.26 shots from downtown per game. Andre Drummond has been in charge of cleaning up the glass, hauling in 10.8 boards per game.

The Boston Celtics enter today’s game, winning six of their past ten games. When playing at the TD Garden, the Celtics are an above .500 team, having gone 5-4. As they take on the 76ers at home, the Celtics have a negative home plus-minus of -0.3 points. Overall the Celtics are ranked 9th among NBA teams in point differential (0.9). This has come while playing the 24th toughest schedule in the NBA.

For bettors, taking the Philadelphia 76ers to cover the spread has been a winning bet as they cover the spread in 55.00% of their games. Their season-long plus-minus against the spread is -0.7.

On offense, the team’s leading scorer is SF Jayson Tatum. So far, Tatum is averaging 24.29 points per game. Tatum has been extremely important to the team as he is also the team’s top three-point shooter and rebounder, grabbing 8.52 boards per game.

An Eye On Pace

This season, the Philadelphia 76ers are averaging just 96 possessions per game, placing them 29th in the NBA. This lack of opportunities is most visible in their three-point attempt total as they are 24th in the NBA, averaging just short of 12 shots per game. Look for this game to be played at a slow tempo as the Celtics are also among the slower-paced teams in the league. Through 21 games, the team is 24th in possessions per game.

Key Matchups

This season has been a wild ride for the Philadelphia 76ers as they are still in the middle of the Ben Simmons drama and have dealt with Joel Embiid’s absence from COVID. With both players being vital to the team’s previous success, the 76ers are still keeping things together, sitting just over .500. Statistically, nothing jumps out with this unit as they are 15th in points per game and 16th in points allowed. Their one statistical strength has been their ability to knock down three’s at an efficient rate. So far, they are 9th in the NBA at 36%. On the other side, Boston has performed well on the defensive side of the court, allowing opponents to hit just 33% of their three-point attempts. This has helped them give up just 105 points per game, 9th in the league.

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The Historicals

This matchup between the 76ers and Celtics will be the first of the season. Last year, these two teams met up for three games, with Philly taking the series 3-0. Not one of these games was particularly close, with the smallest margin being 8 points in game 3.

How the Public is Betting the 76ers vs. Celtics

53% are betting the 76ers against the spread.

61% are wagering on the game to go over the posted total of 210.5.

Betting Trends Worth Noting

• The 76ers are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games following a straight-up win.
• The 76ers are 9-25-2 ATS in their last 36 games as a road underdog.
• The Celtics are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games playing on two days rest.
• The Celtics are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

With both teams getting back to full strength, I am looking for the 76ers to pull out the road win. Joel Embiid’s presence in the lineup helps everyone on the unit as opposing teams must dedicate their full attention to the big man. His ability to grab rebounds helps limit easy second-chance looks. Even without Embiid, the 76ers still managed to shoot the ball fairly well. This should only improve as he is a willing passer out of the post.

Prop Bets Worth Wagering

Sticking with Joel Embiid, I recommend taking him to go over his player prop line. Al Horford has been a nice addition to the Celtics lineup. However, the veteran big-man is not what he used to be on the defensive end of the court. When Boston uses Robert Williams on Embiid, the results won’t be pretty as he is likely to end up on the bench from poor play or because of foul trouble. Bet this week’s NBA picks for FREE by taking advantage of a 100% REAL CASH bonus on you first deposit of $100 to $300 at MyBookie Sportsbook! (Must use bonus code PREDICT100).