Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Odds, Prediction, & Pick
Nets vs. Celtics Odds
| Nets Odds | +11.5 |
| Celtics Odds | -11.5 |
| Over/Under | 227.5 |
| Date | Fri, Nov. 10 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. |
| TV | ESPN |
On Friday, the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics will play an NBA In-Season Tournament game at TD Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Brooklyn won their first In-Season Tournament game last week. Boston will be playing their first In-Season Tournament game this season tonight.
Below, we break down the matchup for both teams and offer a free pick for the betting community!
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Brooklyn Nets
Ben Simmons ruled OUT
Ben Simmons will miss his second consecutive game due to left hip soreness, leaving Brooklyn extremely short-handed, with Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas also unavailable on Friday.
According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, when Simmons, Claxton, and Thomas have been off of the floor at the same time this year, “(player-popup #lonnie-walker-iv)Lonnie Walker IV and Spencer Dinwiddie have been pushed into expanded roles. Per 36 minutes, Walker IV is averaging 31.9 points and Dinwiddie is averaging 19.2 points in such situations.
Expect Brooklyn to slow down the pace on Friday
In their most recent game against the Clippers, the Nets played at an extremely slow pace, due to the absence of Simmons, who is primarily responsible for pushing the team out in transition. Brooklyn’s game against Los Angeles was the second-slowest paced game of the night on Wednesday.
Lonnie Walker led the team in shot attempts in the win, scoring 21 points in 28 minutes. Four other players attempted at least 10 field goals, suggesting that no individual player will necessarily be the “go-to” option on the offensive end of the floor for the Nets this evening.
Boston Celtics
Boston hoping to stop losing streak
Following five consecutive victories to begin the year, Boston has lost back-to-back contests against the Timberwolves and 76ers on the road. Tonight’s game against the Nets will be their first home game since November 1, when the Celtics defeated the Pacers by 51 points.
Boston was one of the best home teams in the NBA last season, finishing second-best with a +10.1 Net Rating and an impressive 32-9 record in their home building. Their success has continued into the new campaign, with a pair of wins against quality opponents – the Heat and Pacers.
Al Horford ruled OUT
Al Horford is officially OUT for tonight’s game as the team gives him a scheduled maintenance day for his right knee. This will be the first game that Horford has missed so far this season.
According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, Jayson Tatum is averaging 1.1 more rebounds per 36 minutes this season with Horford off of the floor compared to when he is on the floor. Tatum, who is already leading the team with 9.7 rebounds per game this year, could be in for a big night on the glass against a small Brooklyn lineup this evening.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Prediction
Celtics -11.5 (-110)
Despite beating the Clippers on Wednesday, the Nets were out-rebounded and gave up 48 points in the paint. The absence of Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons on Friday means that Brooklyn will be without their top scorer, top rebounder, and top facilitator for this contest.
Though Lonnie Walker and Mikal Bridges have performed reasonably well so far this season, there is little doubt that the Nets are thoroughly overmatched in this spot from a pure talent perspective. Boston is one of the best home teams in the NBA and should be able to take care of business by a comfortable margin to begin the weekend.