Celtics – 76ers

Celtics Sixers NBA handicapping

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers will open the 2018/2019 NBA season on Tuesday night at the TD Garden in Boston.

The Boston Celtics are the second favorites to win the NBA title this season and for good reason. After stacking up assets in the last few years, the hosts now have a brilliant roster which was a game away from making the NBA finals last year – and that was with Boston playing without their two best players, Irving and Hayward! Now the two are back, and youngsters like Tatum, Brown or Rozier have taken their game to another level, so the Celtics look scary good, have great depth, and are probably the best coached team in the league as well.

The Sixers were the third seed last year in the East and were hoping to at least make the Conference Finals, but they actually lost in the second round, 1-4 against a shorthanded Celtics side. The Sixers will no doubt be one of the Top 3 seeds again this season as long as their two All Stars Embiid and Simmons stay healthy. They will have to carry the load, as the Sixers have lost some shooting in the off season.

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Team news: Boston is finally 100% healthy, while the Sixers will miss Smith, Bayless, Chandler and possibly Muscala. All are role players.

These are two of the three best teams in the East, and we could well see them in May squaring off in the Eastern Conference finals – although I`d fancy Toronto over Philly. Nevertheless, tonight the Celtics look bigger favorites than the current odds (around 1.50 for the straight win) suggest.

The Celtics are a better team overall and the Sixers will miss a number of players – not key guys, but it will hurt having 3-4 guys out of the rotation. Not to mention Philly lost some good shooters in the Summer (Belinelli, Ilyasova), so their depth isn`t that great coming into this clash.

Another key argument for Boston is that they play at home. The Celtics are always strong at The Garden and proved that in last year`s playoffs, went they went an incredible 10 out of 11 at home – only losing to LeBron in Game 7 of the Conference finals.

This healthy Celtics roster should be too good at home for a slightly banged up Philly side. While Simmons and Embiid are true superstars, the Celtics are just better, have more depth and are better coached. In these conditions it`s hard to see Boston dropping this at home.

My tip will be a straight win for the Celtics, because the Sixers on a good day are strong enough to make it close – but probably not more than that given the circumstances today. Prediction: Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 110 – 102.

Pick: Celtics
Odds: 1.54 @ 1xBet
Stake: 8
Possible profit: 4.32
Event date: 16 October

About Rostick

Born in '88. Running betting tips websites since 2007. Launched Betdistrict in 2013. Worked as a bookie for a year to spy on the other side. Rugby Union and NBA expert. Editor info & statistics.

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