Celtics vs Nets Betting Odds Preview: Boston Going For Nine
Celtics Favored to Win Ninth Straight Versus Nets
NBA Odds Post Celtics as Favorites Again
For the eighth time in the last 10 meetings, Boston faces Brooklyn as the favorites (-3.5) per the Celtics vs Nets betting odds. Boston went 4-3 against the spread (ATS) in the previous seven while winning all but one game. But this new meeting may be the most evenly matched these teams have been in the Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving era.
Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets:
Game: Celtics 29-12 vs Nets 27-13
Date, Time & Streaming:
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Celtics and Nets are Shaping Up
What a difference a season makes. Thanks to a change in head coaches on both sides, the Celtics and Nets play a bit differently. Boston, once a defensive juggernaut with Ime Udoka, has transitioned to becoming more of an offensive powerhouse. The Celtics lead the NBA point spreads in offensive rating (117.1) and are top three in shooting percent (60.4 true shooting percent).
Brooklyn, under Jacque Vaughn, has become a more cohesive NBA team defensively. The Gregg Popovich disciple was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for December. The Nets are the fourth-best team in defensive rating (109.8) and second in opponents’ field goal percentage when defended (44.7 percent).
“I’m in this position because of him (Popovich),” Vaughn recalled. “He saw something in me as an NBA player, saw something in me when I was done playing, to have me a part of that organization, to share an office with him to see how he prepared for regular NBA season games, for playoff games, for shootarounds. To see how he cared for my family, to see how he’s still a mentor to me…”
‘But their improvements on each side did not come at the expense of their defense or offense, respectively. Boston is still seventh in defensive rating (110.9) and Brooklyn is fifth in offense (115.7). The results are the NBA’s two best teams.’
Boston and Brooklyn previously met on December 4, which the Celtics won 103-92. After this game, Brooklyn went 14-1 while Boston struggled to a 10-7 record. However, Brooklyn was dealt a severe blow when Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury. The Nets are 34-31 without him hence why they are only slight NBA underdogs on the Celtics vs Nets betting odds.
Celtics-Nets: By Stats and Trends
As mentioned, Boston has won eight straight games over Brooklyn. The last time the Nets won was in November of the 2021-22 season. Their last home win came in the NBA playoffs against the Celtics without Jaylen Brown and Al Horford. The totals have gone 5-3 in these games.
As teams this season, the Celtics and Nets are nearly identical on the spread: 21-19 (Boston has one push). But if you look at Brooklyn’s record during Vaughn’s tenure, it is 19-14 ATS (57.6 percent cover rate). This is a significant improvement over where they were under Nash: 80-95-2 ATS (45.2 percent). Brooklyn has been one to add on the best parlays for NBA games.
Boston has been a favorite in all but two games this season. As an away favorite, Boston is just 8-10 ATS. This comes despite the fact that the Celtics have the best net rating (2.4) among all road teams. Oddsmakers may overestimate the Celtics a little as this team is just 11-7 on the moneyline as chalk.
As for the Nets, Brooklyn is also rarely an underdog. They have only been a dog twice at home and failed to cover on both occasions. Another concerning stat for the Nets is their record against teams above .500: 9-10. But at home, the Nets have defeated the likes of Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies.
It will be more difficult for Brooklyn in this NBA matchup without Durant. The 10-time All-NBA player is having his best season since he won the MVP in 2013-14. He’s scoring 29.7 points per game with a 60.7 effective field goal percentage, the second-best of his career. Most notably, Durant makes the Nets 8.4 points better when he is on the court.
Brooklyn can see a dip in both offense and defense without KD. The totals go under on 57.5 percent of their games. For the Celtics, 13 of their 20 road games have as well. The Celtics vs Nets betting odds have the total at 227 here and adding the ‘under’ may be the bet to make.
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