The marquee matchup on Tuesday’s NBA schedule is Boston at Philadelphia with TNT having the national telecast for this matchup.
Which way to lean at BMR’s top-rated sportsbooks?
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Tuesday, February 15, 2022 – 07:30 PM EST at Wells Fargo Center
Celtics-76ers is the first of a TNT doubleheader Tuesday with Clippers-Suns the late game. This wraps up the season series between Boston and Philadelphia, although they could easily meet in the Eastern Conference playoffs. To win the East, the Sixers are +330 at most online sports betting sites and the Celtics are +1800.
Philadelphia won the previous home matchup in the series 111-99 on Jan. 14 and that’s the last time they played. Joel Embiid was a monster that night with 25 points, 13 rebounds and six assists and is averaging 26.3 points 13.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists in the season series.
Seth Curry averaged 20.0 points in the three but is now with Brooklyn. Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in the season series for Boston and Jaylen Brown 20.0 points.
The Sixers are 9-1 against the spread on the NBA odds in the past 10 meetings.
Celtics Playing Great Defense
Boston was very inconsistent early in the season under first-year head coach Ime Udoka – some fans were already calling for him to be fired – but has caught fire of late, winning its eighth straight game Sunday, 105-95 over Atlanta.
The C’s acquired guard Derrick White from the Spurs ahead of last week’s trade deadline, and he had 14 points, five assists and four rebounds Sunday. In his first two games as a member of the Celtics, no other player has a better plus/minus (+23) than White.
“Derrick is a threat,” Jaylen Brown said. “You gotta respect him, you got to guard him. He makes shots, plays the game like a playmaker. So it just opens the floor up for everybody else.
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"Having Derrick out there as just another guy who just fits right in. Capable shooter, can also drive and make plays for others and is another guy on the defensive end who can help us get stops, take charges, etc. So it’s been great having him out there. Two games so far and it’s only gonna get better.”
Jayson Tatum had 38 points and 10 rebounds and will start in Sunday’s All-Star Game for Team Kevin Durant. Tatum is third in the NBA in points scored with 1,389 and also third in fourth-quarter points with 334. Marcus Smart is fourth in the league in steals per game.
Tuesday could be the debut of center Daniel Theis, who was acquired last week from Houston. Only one team has reached 100 points against the Celtics during their winning streak.
Boston is 7-3 straight up and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 as a road favorite.
No Harden Yet For Sixers
Of course, the Sixers made the blockbuster trade for James Harden last week, but he has yet to debut for the club and won’t until after the All-Star break because of a hamstring injury – the Beard also will miss the All-Star Game (replaced by Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen).
Harden will officially be introduced Tuesday afternoon ahead of this game. After this week, the Sixers will have 24 games to get their new star up-to-speed before the playoffs arrive.
Philadelphia comes off a 103-93 home win over Cleveland on Saturday. Joel Embiid is the +160 favorite on the NBA futures odds to win his first MVP Award, and he played like an MVP in that one with 40 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
As good as Embiid has been, it was only his fourth career triple-double and second this season. He has scored at least 25 points in 31 consecutive games and leads the NBA in scoring at 29.5 ppg.
Embiid has played six games in a row after a one-game rest on Jan. 31 that followed 21 consecutive contests. I don’t see any reason why he’d take a seat for this one with the All-Star break upcoming.
Forward Paul Millsap also came over from Brooklyn in the Harden trade but has yet to debut for Philly. He might Tuesday but probably won’t see a ton of court time. Philly could use a backup big man behind Embiid after including center Andre Drummond in the Nets trade.
The Pick
Have to say I’m pretty surprised the Sixers are home underdogs for our NBA picks. It last was Jan. 31 against Memphis but that was because Embiid was out, and the Sixers still won.
They last were dogs at home with Embiid on Dec. 11 vs. Golden State and won that as well. I believe they win here, too.
NBA pick: 76ers +1.5 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
