Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets Odds, Prediction, & Pick
Celtics vs. Nets Odds
| Celtics Odds | -10 |
| Nets Odds | +10 |
| Over/Under | 228 |
| Date | Sat, Nov. 4 |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. |
| TV | YES |
On Saturday, the Boston Celtics, the last undefeated team left in the NBA this season, will travel to the Barclays Center to play the Brooklyn Nets. Boston’s early season dominance is being respected on the market ahead of tip-off, with the Celtics favored by 10-points. The total for tonight’s action between these two teams is set at over/under 228 points.
Below, we break down the matchup for both teams and offer a free pick for the betting community!
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Boston Celtics
Boston looking to stay perfect
Boston enters play on Saturday as the only team in the NBA yet to lose a game this season. Even more impressive is how they have been winning games, with their two most recent wins coming by a combined 70 points.
The Celtics have had significant contributions from seemingly everywhere on their roster. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday are each averaging at least 13.0 points per game despite the fact that the starting unit is averaging less than 30 minutes per game. Payton Pritchard is tied for the team lead in assists even though he is averaging only 18.8 minutes per game off of the bench.
This is an extremely deep team capable of competing with their opponent in a myriad of ways each time they take the floor.
Derrick White ruled OUT
Derrick White will miss tonight’s contest for personal reasons, meaning that Boston will be using a new starting lineup for the first time since opening night. According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, Jaylen Brown has been the biggest beneficiary on the offensive end of the floor when White has been out of the lineup this year. Brown sees a 4.7% increase in usage and is averaging 33.6 points per 36 minutes of action. Jrue Holiday is another candidate to see more usage in this evening’s game against the Nets.
Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn playing on second night of a back-to-back set
Brooklyn is off to a strong start to the year, with a pair of nail-biter losses and three wins in their five games played. Tonight, they will have their first back-to-back test of the young season after defeating the Bulls 109-107 yesterday in their first NBA In-Season Tournament game.
Much of Brooklyn’s success early in the year can be attributed to their work on the glass, ranking fifth in rebound percentage as a team. This area of strength might be more of a weakness this evening, however, facing a Boston team that leads the league in rebounding. Further complicating the situation is the fact that Brooklyn will be missing their top two leading rebounders this evening, with Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton both out of the lineup.
Simmons, Claxton, Johnson ruled OUT
Tonight, the Nets will be without Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, and Cameron Johnson. According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, Cam Thomas has seen the largest increase in such situations this year (in an admittedly small sample size).
Though the sample size is small, Thomas is likely to see far more responsibility on the offensive end of the floor this evening. Thomas is averaging 25.8 points per game so far this season but has posted back-to-back games with fewer than 20 points due to inefficiency from the field. His volume should once again be significant on Saturday, making him a candidate for a 30-point performance if he can knock down a fair number of shot attempts.
Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets Prediction
Celtics -10 (-110)
Through four games this season, Boston leads the NBA in offensive efficiency and ranks fourth in defensive efficiency. Their +20.1 Net Rating is more than twice as good as Philadelphia, which ranks second in this category early this season. The Celtics have an undeniable talent advantage in this matchup against the Nets and their dominance on the boards is likely to make it difficult for Brooklyn to keep this game competitive. Ten points is rarely a sweat-free cover, but it would not be surprising if this game turned ugly on Saturday. The road favorites are heavy favorites for a reason.