Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, February 15th, 2022 

Venue:  The Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Where to Watch:  TNT

DraftKings:  Spread:  Celtics -1; O/U 210.5

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  Celtics -1; O/U 211

WynnBet: Spread:  NL

Celtics: 33-25, 6th place Eastern Conference

76ers: 34-22, 5th place Eastern Conference

The magic time for the NBA is upon us.  We approach the all-star break and from here on in every game will get a little more important.  These teams are neck and neck in the standings.  Boston started a mid-season run in early January and have risen from 10th place to 6th.  They have been real solid.  A team with two stars surrounded by role players will always work the trade deadline looking for a 3rd star… it didn’t happen this season.  They did however pick up the very consistent SG Derrick White from the San Antonio Spurs and all they had to give up was some dead weight and a future pick.  The two things the Celtics DO NOT need after a decade of selecting the most 1st round picks in the entire league… is more late round draft picks and dead weight.  The 76ers had two star players and they did make a trade deadline deal for a 3rd star… They just had to give up one of their stars to do it… oh and their best shooter.  The deal works because Philadelphia GM loves Daryl Morey… and he gave up the tantrum-throwing star Ben Simmons, who had not played a single game for the Sixers this season.  The shooter they gave up was Steph Curry’s brother… Seth Curry.  Seth Curry is a great shooter, but on defense he doesn’t contribute anything.  It must be an odd feeling for Seth Curry as his Father-in-law is the Sixers Head Coach Doc Rivers.  It shouldn’t have been a surprise since when Doc was the Head Coach of the Los Angeles Clippers that team traded his actual son SG/PG Austin Rivers.  Whether they work together or face off against each other… I would put everything I have on a Curry-Rivers family get together has the greatest collection of shooters in world history eating burgers around a BBQ.

The Boston Celtics are on an 8-game winning streak!  They have won 9 of their last ten games.  Leading scorer SF Jayson Tatum drops 25.7 ppg… his running mate SG Jayen Brown averages only 1.5 ppg less.  This is a top-tier duo.  NBA history will look back on this roster and scratch their heads at why the team stuck with Robert Williams III at Center and Al Horford at Power Forward.  They are fine players but neither is a top-notch big man.  What a scoring duo like Tatum and Brown need more than anything else is a big man that pulls the defense back into the paint.  The reason Kobe and Shaq were perfect together is they each opened up the other’s offensive game.  If you ever tried to double Kobe or Shaq you were only opening the floor for the other guy.  The Celtics have a further advantage in that they have two Kobes!!  (Sort of) And yes, no one in the league is offering up a Shaq level center… but the move the Celtics needed was clearly for either Atlanta Hawks PF John Collins or Indiana Pacers PF/C Domantas Sabonis… the bounty would have been the players they traded for Derrick White  (Langford, and Richardson)  plus Horford and some future picks.  It was right there… The Pacers did trade Sabonis for a package of guards and what-not.  Sure the Pacers got a great young guard… but still the Celtics could have out-bid that in picks.  The league doesn’t really compile Front Office assist to turnover stats but they should.

The Philadelphia 76ers will be working in a new player.  An all NBA, former MVP player who has single-handedly blown up his last two teams by quitting when he didn’t like something about this role.  The performance of this team after this trade should be the single factor that determines Daryl Morey’s future as GM.  Philly gave up a star, a shooter, and picks?... on what was supposedly an even trade as recently as the middle of last week?  It’s head scratching.  James Harden can compile stats… but has zero rings to show for it… and lots of burnt bridges in his rearview mirror.  The Sixers are on a 2 game winning streak.  2 games is not much of a streak, but they’ll take it after being dismantled by Phoenix 3 games ago.  They have won 7 of their last 10 games… They are 4-6 ATS over the last ten games, with 4 Overs and 6 Unders. SG james Harden comes over from the Brooklyn Nets with an active hamstring injury.  We do not yet know is he was faking to get out of Brooklyn or actually has a sore hamstring.  The safe money is that he sits out at least one game in Philly to allow for an alibi.  If he suits up right away and plays a full game… the talking heads around the NBA get to cement his crybaby status.

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Boston is 33-25 on the season, but 29-28-1 ATS.  They have logged 23 Overs, 34 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 13-15 in road games.

The Sixers are 34-22 on the season, but 27-28-1 ATS.  They have notched 22 Overs, 32 Unders, and 2 Push.  They are 16-12 in home games.

Boston is 18th in scoring with 108.4 ppg, 2nd in rebounds with 46.8 per game, and 21st in AST/TO ratio with 1.7. They excel at defense which may explain why they did not move either of the big men.  On defense they rank 4th while allowing only 103.6 ppg from opponents.

The Sixers are 21st in scoring with 107.6 ppg, 30th in rebounds with 42.3 per game, and 9th in AST/TO ratio with 1.8.  They also do well on the defensive end as they rank 6th while allowing 105.2 ppg from opponents.

Our prediction for Tuesday, February 15th is…. Celtics 115 - 111

The Celtics should take the win… especially if James Harden is out until after the all-star break as the team is saying.  Plus the Celtics are rolling and a team with as many question marks as the Sixers won’t be able to bring them down.  Joel Embiid is playing like a mega-star at the moment… but that plays right in to the Celtics hands until they get Harden on the court.  Any team will let Embiid drop 50 as long as the Sixers get the loss.  Joel will be worked hard all night.

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Boston is 21 Over and 11 Under versus good passing teams (23 apg or better) this season.

Boston is 395-321 ATS as a road underdog since 1996.

Boston is 142-105 ATS when playing with double revenge (last 2 losses to a team) since 1996.

Philly is 5-0 ATS versus Boston at Philly the last 3 seasons.

Celtics: Daniel Theis (acquired) Out

Sixers: SG James Harden (hamstring) Out ** PF Paul Milsap (acquired) Out 

Celtics: SF Jayson Tatum, PF Al Horford, C Robert Williams III, SG Jaylen Brown, PG Marcus Smart

Sixers: PF Tobias Harris, SF Matisse Thybulle, C Joel Embiid, PG Tyrese Maxey, SG Danny Green

Celtics

Points: Jayson Tatum 25.7

Assists: Marcus Smart 5.4

Rebounds: Robert Williams III

Steals: Marcus Smart 1.9

Blocks: Robert Williams III 2.2

Sixers

Points: Joel Embiid 29.5

Assists: Tyrese Maxey 4.7

Rebounds: Joel Embiid 11.2

Steals: Matisse Thybulle

Blocks: Joel Embiid 1.5

Boston: Ime Udoka

Philly: Doc Rivers