Boston Celtics vs. Phoenix Suns Odds, Preview, and Prediction
Celtics vs. Suns Odds
| Celtics Odds | +4.5 |
| Suns Odds | -4.5 |
| Over/Under | 214.5 |
| Date | Friday, Dec. 10 |
| Time | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Tonight, the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns will battle at the Footprint Center. Boston will be without arguably their best player, Jaylen Brown, who continues to nurse a hamstring injury. Phoenix will be missing their leading scorer, Devin Booker, who is also nursing a hamstring injury. Oddsmakers are expecting a close game between these two injury-plagued rosters this evening, pricing the Suns as 4.5-point home favorites on the spread at online sportsbooks.
Now, let’s take a closer look at Celtics vs. Suns odds and picks.
Celtics
Tonight will be the final contest of a five-game West Coast road trip for the Celtics. They have suffered losses to the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers, with Boston’s lone win coming against a decimated Portland Trail Blazers team missing Damian Lillard.
“(player-popup #jaylen-brown)Jaylen Brown”:/players/jaylen-brown-35181’s absence is a significant blow to this roster. Per Cleaning the Glass, when Brown is on the floor this season, Boston ranks in the 96th percentile in defensive efficiency. When Brown is on the sidelines, the Celtics plummet to the 32nd percentile, allowing 111.5 points per 100 possessions. Jayson Tatum has started to play better of late, posting 26 points or more in each of his five December games. Yet, the Celtics have managed to win only two of those games, despite strong performances from their star. Playing their third game in four nights on the road against one of the best teams in the NBA, Boston could find it difficult to put an end to their current losing streak.
Suns
Unlike Brown’s absence for the Celtics, Devin Booker being on the sidelines does not decimate Phoenix’s chances of playing basketball at a high level. When Booker is on the court this year, Phoenix ranks in the 84th percentile in offensive efficiency. That number drops significantly, to the 34th percentile, with Booker off of the floor this season. Still, the Suns remain one of the best defensive teams in the NBA without their best player, which enables them to be a trustworthy option for bettors.
The decrease in offensive efficiency could also be mitigated in this one due to the fact that Phoenix is playing at home. NBA fans are well-aware of the fact that role players are far more effective in the comfort of their home arena, compared to when they play on the road. The Suns should expect quality production in this one out of strong rotation options, such as Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder.
The Suns enter play with the second best record in the entire league, and they have only been defeated at home twice in 13 contests. Phoenix is well-coached, has veteran leadership with Chris Paul, and plenty of depth to absorb the loss of Booker. This is still a strong team–one capable of playing extremely well tonight.
Pick and Prediction
As of this writing, Phoenix has collected 56 percent of tickets and 69 percent of the handle at sportsbooks, per ScoresAndOdds. Sharp money is not correct 100 percent of the time, but there are clear market indicators that the Suns are being undervalued at home in this matchup. The Celtics are playing their third game in four nights at the end of a road trip. The Suns have not played since Monday. Bettors should strongly consider a play on Phoenix to cover the spread in this spot.
PICK: Suns -4.5 (-110)
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