Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/1/2023

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA

Where to watch: ESPN

DraftKings: Celtics -8.5

FanDuel: Celtics -8.5

BetMGM: Celtics -8.5

Caesars: Celtics -8

Nets: 31-19

Celtics: 36-15

Nets: won 121-104 vs. Lakers

Celtics: won 125-121 (OT) vs. Lakers

What do the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics have in common? The most recent victory for both of those teams just happened to be against the Los Angeles Lakers. mind blown. And now after dispatching of the Lakers in both of their games over the weekend, the Nets and Celtics will meet up on Wednesday in Boston for a battle of two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

 

When you look at the way that this matchup is designed you're automatically hooked toward what they can do on the floor. And what I mean by that is you take two teams who are complete different sides of each other and one of them is missing their best player, while the other has two budding superstars that are able to destroy what the Nets can do. And I'm not exactly sure if that entails that Brooklyn has finally figured things out with two straight victories without Kevin Durant, or it's just by pure coincidence. I would like to think that it might be the former.

 

Kyrie Irving finished with 26 points on 7 of 16 shooting, and the Nets held the Lakers to just 39% shooting. Brooklyn shot just 47% from the floor and made 16 of 41 from the three-point line that it was much easier to take the control of this game when they really were just looking for any sort of answers over the last few games without their leading scorer and MVP. Patty Mills had 21.

 

“I think from a big-picture standpoint we’ve just worked out how to navigate the ship, I guess,” Mills said, “and it definitely does feel a lot different than last year in that sense.”

 

No to be fair, the Nets were able to win that game without LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roadside. So technically this should not be labeled as an impressive victory, but Brooklyn has been in need of trying to figure out what team it can be going into the later part of the season and I think even though it's a minute victory they are able to do it.

 

The Celtics actually got LeBron and Anthony Davis on the Lakers side this time around but it was Boston rallying to win 125-121 in overtime against the lakers on Saturday. Despite LeBron going for 41 points, 9 rebounds and eight assists, and despite Davis going for 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, Jaylen Brown finished with a team high 37 points and nine rebounds on 13 of 23 shooting, and Jason Tatum did reach 30 points but shot 8 of 25 to get there.

 

“At the end of the day, the players decided that game,” Brown said. “We made plays down the stretch; they made plays down the stretch. And I thought it was a good game. It was probably one of the greater games in our recent Lakers-Celtics matchup. And I’m happy we came out on top.”

 

This game is a complete opposite side of the spectrum as it relates to the spread. The Nets have covered in five of their last six games, including being nine point favorites over the Lakers. The Celtics meanwhile have gone 0-6 in their last six against the spread and were eight point favorites against the Lakers. They were also 8.5 point favorites over the New York Knicks at home and lost in overtime. They are a mess as it pertains to the books right now.

 

It is still going to be a bumpy ride with the Nets until Durant comes back. Whenever that is, Brooklyn just isn't equipped enough well enough to handle the onslaught of an offensive attack that the Celtics can provide. Celtics 120, Nets 110

Nets are 5-1 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 this season.

Nets are 60-49 ATS on the road the last 3 seasons.

Celtics are 22-24 ATS as a favorite this season.

Celtics are 16-8 ATS after playing a home game this season.

PG: Kyrie Irving

SG: Royce O'Neale

SF: Joe Harris

PF: Day'Ron Sharpe

C: Nic Claxton

PG: Malcolm Brogdon

SG: Jaylen Brown

SF: Jayson Tatum

PF: Al Horford

C: Robert Williams III

Nets: Kevin Durant (knee, out), Ben Simmons (knee, out), Yuta Watanabe (back, probable), TJ Warren (knee, out)

Celtics: Marcus Smart (ankle, out), Robert Williams III (ankle, questionable)

Points: Kevin Durant -- 29.7

Rebounds: Nic Claxton -- 8.9

Assists: Ben Simmons -- 6.4

Points: Jayson Tatum -- 31.1

Rebounds: Jayson Tatum -- 8.7

Assists: Marcus Smart -- 7.2