Atlantic Division rivals meet on Tuesday evening at Barclays Center. The Brooklyn Nets host the Boston Celtics in the third matchup between the teams this season. Brooklyn is 21-31 overall and 13-16 at home this season. Boston is 41-12 and on a four-game winning streak as this matchup arrives. Kristaps Porzingis (back) is listed as questionable for the Celtics, with Jaden Springer (ankle) and Xavier Tillman (knee) ruled out. Cameron Johnson (adductor) is out for the Nets.
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Brooklyn. For this game, SportsLine consensus lists Boston as the 8.5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 227.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Nets odds. Before making any Nets vs. Celtics picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 17 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 55-35 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $1,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Nets vs. Celtics. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Celtics vs. Nets:
- Celtics vs. Nets spread: Celtics -8.5
- Celtics vs. Nets over/under: 227.5 points
- Celtics vs. Nets money line: Celtics -368, Nets +290
- Boston: The Celtics are 10-13-2 against the spread in away games
- Brooklyn: The Nets are 15-12-2 against the spread in home games
- Celtics vs. Nets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston has been the NBA’s best team this season. The Celtics lead the league in win-loss record (41-12) and net rating (+9.5 points per 100 possessions), and Boston’s offense is clearly elite. The Celtics are scoring 1.203 points per possession this season, ranking in the top three of the NBA, and Boston generated 1.25 points per possession in two wins over Brooklyn earlier this season. The Celtics are shooting 37.8% from 3-point range this season, and Boston leads the league in 3-pointers (16.2 per game). Boston is also highly efficient inside the 3-point arc, making 57.0% of 2-point attempts, and the Celtics take advantage when they reach the free throw line, making 81.0% of attempts.
The Celtics also maximize possessions by committing only 12.6 turnovers per game and, when they do miss shots, Boston is strongly above-average with 14.9 second-chance points per game. With the Celtics also solidly in the top five of the NBA in defensive rating, Boston is difficult for any opponent to match, and the Celtics are unbeaten against the Nets in 2023-24. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Nets can cover
Mikal Bridges is the centerpiece for the Nets, averaging 21.8 points per game this season. He ups that production to 22.5 points per game at Barclays Center in 2023-24, and Bridges is averaging 24.5 points per game on 40.8% 3-point shooting over the last 16 games. Bridges is the fulcrum of Brooklyn’s offense, with the Nets ranking in the top 10 of the NBA in offensive rebound rate (29.6%) and second-chance points (14.9 per game) this season.
The Nets are also strong in ball security, committing a turnover on only 12.7% of offensive possessions, and the Celtics are near the bottom of the league in turnover creation rate (11.7%) on defense. Brooklyn also averages 26.8 assists per contest, and the Nets have defensive strengths to rely on in this setting. The Nets are in the top 10 of the NBA in opponent field goal percentage, points allowed in the paint and assists allowed, with a top-five mark in opponent 2-point percentage. Brooklyn also allows only 22.4 free throw attempts per game in 2023-24. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Nets vs. Celtics picks
The model has simulated Celtics vs. Nets 10,000 times and is leaning Over on the total, projecting 228 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Nets, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 55-35 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
