Warriors vs. Celtics: NBA odds, Picks and Predictions
Warriors vs. Celtics Odds
| Warriors Odds | +6.5 |
| Celtics Odds | -6.5 |
| Over/Under | 241 |
| Date | Thu, Jan. 19 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. |
| TV | TNT |
The NBA’s Thursday evening slate will begin with an NBA Finals rematch between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics at TD Garden. In the first matchup between these two teams this season, Golden State emerged victorious 123-107 in their home gym. Tonight, oddsmakers are anticipating Boston evening the season series, pricing the Celtics as 6.5-point home favorites on the spread.
Golden State Warriors
Road Warriors
In 22 road games this season, Golden State is 5-17, ranking 27th out of 30 teams in Net Rating – having been outscored by 7.1 points per 100 possessions. Included in their five road victories are wins against the Washington Wizards (19-26), San Antonio Spurs (14-31), Toronto Raptors (20-25), Minnesota Timberwolves (22-24), and Houston Rockets (10-35) – none of which currently hold a playoff position in their respective conference. The Warriors have struggled mightily against good teams away from home this season, making it difficult for bettors to trust them in this spot.
Mixed results with Curry
Since Stephen Curry returned to the floor on January 10, Golden State is 2-2, with wins over the Spurs and Wizards, and losses to the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. On Monday, Curry exploded for 41 points in the victory over Washington, his first game with more than 24 points since returning to action.
Boston Celtics
Tough at the Garden
Ahead of tip-off, Boston owns the second-best home record in the Eastern Conference, at 17-5. Since December 23, the Celtics are a perfect 6-0 on their home floor, having outscored their opponents by 13.4 points per 100 possessions in that span. Notably, they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (29-16) by 21 points on Christmas Day.
7-game winning streak
Entering play on Thursday, Boston owns the longest winning streak in the conference, with victories in each of their last seven trips to the hardwood. During that stretch, they have a 29-point road victory over the Dallas Mavericks, which are 16-7 at home this year, in addition to double-digit victories over the Charlotte Hornets (twice), Brooklyn Nets, and New Orleans Pelicans.
Warriors vs. Celtics – Picks & Predictions
Though bettors may be surprised to see such a large spread in this game, especially considering that Golden State dominated Boston in their first matchup, the large number is warranted. Curry has only four games under his belt since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for nearly a month. Andrew Wiggins has shot 41.2% or worse from the floor in each of his five games played since returning to the floor after over a month on the injury report.
On top of the health concerns, this is a matchup between one of the NBA’s best home teams and one of the league’s worst road teams. In their last 15 games, Boston is 13-2, ranking 2nd in the NBA in Net Rating – outscoring their opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions. In that stretch, the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown, their second-leading scorer, for multiple games. Assuming Brown is able to return to the floor on Thursday, the Celtics have an opportunity to turn this game into a blowout. Trust them to cover the spread in this spot.
PICK: Celtics -6.5 (-105, MGM)
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