Nets vs. Celtics Odds: Game 3 Preview, Picks, & Predictions

by Sloan Piva (SloanPiva) Last Updated 2021-05-28 21:46:53

The Brooklyn Nets have looked unstoppable, but the playoff series moves to TD Garden Friday night. Can the Boston Celtics use home-court advantage to bounce back in Game 3 or will the Nets continue to cover the spread for Brooklyn bettors? Sloan Piva previews the matchup, breaks down the odds, and gives his best picks for Nets vs. Celtics.

Nets vs. Celtics Game 3 Odds

NBA Picks: Nets vs. Celtics Odds Update

Updated at 5:45 p.m. ET, Friday, May 28, 2021

• GM 3 Moneyline: Nearly 80% of the moneyline handle is behind the Brooklyn Nets, per Scores And Odds. If you want in now, you have to lay -357 at BetMGM. On the other hand, if you’re leaning toward the Celtics, you can get +285 at William Hill.

• GM 3 Spread: The Nets opened as 7-point favorites at some sportsbooks, but the consensus spread is Nets -8, as of 5:30 p.m. ET. Oddsmakers have seen their fair share of two-way action on this game, as 55% of the consensus betting handle is backing Brooklyn and 45% on the Celtics.

• GM 3 Over/Under: 68% of the money is on the Over, and the point total has fluctuated between 227 and 228.5. If you want the Under, your best bet is at BetMGM, where the total sits at 227.5; you’ll find 227s most elsewhere.

Continue reading our Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Game 3 betting preview, breaking down NBA odds, picks, predictions, and our favorite promo for Friday night!

Nets vs. Celtics First Half Odds

• 1H Spread: Nets -3.5 1H (-105)
• 1H Moneyline: Nets -200 ML
• 1H Over/Under: 111.5

Nets vs. Celtics Preview

For Boston Celtics fans, the misery that has been the 2020-21 season will soon come to a close. The six-month roller-coaster ride—which has included injuries, trade snafus, losing streaks, and steaming hot seats for coach Brad Stevens and GM Danny Ainge—will mercifully stop rolling. And in a tragic bit of irony, the final blow of Boston’s campaign will be delivered by a Brooklyn Nets franchise that Ainge fleeced in the Garnett/Pierce trade eight years ago. A Nets franchise that has built itself into a potential dynasty with multiple All-Stars, MVPs, and NBA champions, including New England’s current public enemy number one: Kyrie Andrew Irving.

As spoiled as Boston sports fans have become throughout the past couple decades, the intense suffering of Green Teamers remains. Save for the “Anything’s possible!” 2008 iteration of the ‘Big Three,’ the Celtics have done nothing since Larry Bird was schooling the league in his short shorts. And now, thanks to Brooklyn’s freshly-formed ‘Big Three,’ Boston will once again do nothing this season.

It was almost assuredly a nothing year already—but when Jaylen Brown was diagnosed with a season-ending wrist injury earlier this month, C’s fans knew it was checkmate before the postseason chess match even began. Boston finished the regular season 35-35, limping into a play-in game against the Wizards. The prize for winning the play-in? Most likely a demoralizing four-game sweep at the hands of a former ally turned rival.

Nets vs. Celtics Predictions

The Celtics look so lost on defense against Brooklyn, Stevens might as well give the rookies and second-year guys 20-30 minutes of run. I’m not suggesting that Boston has zero chance of at least keeping its first home game of the series close. I’m just saying that Brooklyn at 75 percent is better than Boston at 100 percent right now.

Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving present far too much of a matchup conundrum for the Celtics without Brown. Marcus Smart can’t guard Irving and Harden at the same time. Jayson Tatum can’t slow down Durant while trying to put the world on his back offensively. Evan Fournier, bless his heart, cannot contain Harden at half-speed. And even if Boston double-teams KD or Harden, or sags to help on penetration, it leaves Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris open from distance, or exposes itself on the offensive boards.

Brooklyn somehow shot 52.3 percent from the field, 44.7 percent from three, and 95.5 percent from the line in its 130-108 romp of the C’s at Barclays Tuesday. It was an all-around smackdown from the jump, a contrast to Game 1 that saw Brooklyn get off to a slow start. In that first game, the Celts’ scrappy tenacity led to a surprising six-point lead at the intermission. But KD, Harden, and Irving finished with 82 of the Nets’ 104 points, and Brooklyn coasted in the second half to a 104-93 victory. Steve Nash’s squad hasn’t looked back since.

Stevens seems completely flabbergasted by this entire series, and has looked pale as a ghost on the sidelines. Perhaps he has some regret living deep within him, as he stares blankly at his squad getting bashed around. He (allegedly) could have taken the head coach position with the Indiana Hoosiers, back at home and $70 million richer. But now he’s picking between Jabari Parker and Semi Ojeleye to guard a two-time Finals MVP, and watching his team get outscored 234-201 (and counting) in a series he’d probably rather not be in.

Again, because I know how loud TD Garden can get, I’m not advocating for you to bet the farm on the Nets -7.5. I really don’t see great value in their -320 moneyline, either. However, I’m very interested in Brooklyn’s -200 halftime line, as well as the OVER on the 115.5 halftime points total.

The total at intermission in Game 2 was 118, despite Boston managing just 21 points in the second quarter. I expect the Celts to shoot much better at home, but I do not expect them to improve upon their defense very much. And Brooklyn would be more than happy to see this game devolve into an all-out scoring contest. Check your defensive game plans at the door!

This week was the beginning of the end of what will surely go down as one of the most disappointing campaigns in the history of the Boston Celtics. You’ve probably got until Sunday evening to make some money off their demise.

HALFTIME PREDICTION: Nets 61-56
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Nets 120-115
NBA PICKS: Nets 1H ML -200, 1H OVER 115.5

Nets-Celtics Picks ATS

Schmitto: Sloan is our resident Celtics fan, but I’m happy to see fandom isn’t keeping him from betting against Boston in this first-round playoff series. Right now, the Nets are absolutely overwhelming on both ends of the basketball court. It’s tough to fathom that this is basically the first time all season that Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden — the latter of whom are two of the best offensive players to ever shoot the ball — have suited up at the same time. If you thought it would take a few games for the trio to mesh, well, they’ve put all worries to rest.

Whether it be in Brooklyn or Boston, I just don’t see how the Celtics will keep apace with the Nets. Don’t forget, Brooklyn’s starting five includes Blake Griffin too! Oh, and then there’s Joe Harris, the Nets shooting guard who nailed SEVEN three-pointers in Game 2 and ended the night with 25 points. Harris is arguably the NBA’s best three-point shooter, which helps to stretch the floor for Irving, Harden, and Durant. This team is unguardable and I refuse to bet against them in this series.

SCHMITTO’S GAME 3 BET: Nets -7.5

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Image Credit: Imagn