Nets vs. Celtics: NBA odds, Picks and Predictions
Nets vs. Celtics Odds
| Nets Odds | +9.5 |
| Celtics Odds | -9.5 |
| Over/Under | 224 |
| Date | Wed, Feb. 1 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. |
| TV | ESPN |
ESPN’s Wednesday night double-header will begin with a matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Entering play, Brooklyn (31-19) owns the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, trailing Boston (36-15) by 4.5 games for the 1-seed in the standings. This evening, oddsmakers are expecting a comfortable win for the Celtics, pricing them as 9-point home favorites on the spread.
Brooklyn Nets
Durant, Simmons OUT
Since Kevin Durant last played on January 8, the Nets are 4-6 overall, ranking 19th out of 30 teams in Net Rating. In that span, their largest deficiency has been on the glass, where they rank 28th in rebounding percentage.
Tonight, Ben Simmons will miss his third consecutive contest as well. Per Cleaning the Glass, when both Durant and Simmons are off of the floor at the same time this season, Brooklyn ranks in the 64th percentile in offensive efficiency and the 59th percentile in defensive efficiency in a sample size of 1,093 possessions.
Who will step up for Brooklyn?
According to CourtIQ, Kyrie Irving (+5.7%) sees the largest increase in usage of any player on the Nets’ roster when Durant and Simmons are both off of the floor. In these situations, Irving is averaging 31.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per 36 minutes of action. Per props.cash, he has scored 32 points and 26 points in his last two games with both players in street clothes this year.
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Boston Celtics
Smart OUT
Since Marcus Smart last played on January 21, the Celtics are 1-3 overall and rank 24th out of 30 teams in Net Rating. In that span, they have an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, but have lost to the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks – of which, only Miami is at full strength and trending towards a playoff spot.
Per Cleaning the Glass, Boston ranks in the 87th percentile in offensive efficiency and the 74th percentile in defensive efficiency when Smart is on the floor this year, compared to the 75th percentile in offensive efficiency and the 82nd percentile in defensive efficiency when he is on the sidelines.
Who will step up for Boston?
According to CourtIQ, when Marcus Smart is off of the floor, Malcolm Brogdon (+3.2%) sees the largest increase in usage of any player on the Boston roster. In these situations, Brogdon is averaging 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per 36 minutes of action. In the Celtics’ most recent contest, Brogdon scored 26 points in 39 minutes. Expect him to have a sizable role in the offense once again on Wednesday.
Nets vs. Celtics – Picks & Predictions
Despite the absence of Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons, the Nets do not deserve to be near double-digit underdogs in this spot against the short-handed Celtics. In four games since Marcus Smart has last played, Boston has been outscored by 4.8 points per 100 possessions, with a highly-controversial no-foul call against the Lakers being the only thing separating this team from a four-game losing streak. Boston has a significant rest advantage in tonight’s matchup, but that is unlikely to be enough of an edge to cover such a large number in this spot.
PICK: Nets +9.5 (-110, Wynn)
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