The Boston Celtics (-231) will host the Phoenix Suns (+188) in a non-conference matchup at TD Garden in Boston. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 ET, and the game will be televised on TNT.
The Celtics (-5.5) are favored at BetUS over the Suns, and the over/under line is set at 228 points. Boston is currently riding a three-game win streak and owns the best record in the Eastern Conference at 51-14. Phoenix (38-27) is 7th in the West and 3rd in the Pacific Division.
Will the Suns Make it Happen in Boston?
In terms of their ATS record, the Suns are 25-39 this season, and they have failed to cover the spread in their last three games. On the road, they are 13-17 ATS compared to 12-22 ATS at home.
Looking at their O/U record for the season, the Suns are 28-36-1. Today’s O/U line of 228 is lower than their season average of 231.3 points per game.
Phoenix’s last game was a 117-111 win over the Cavaliers. They were favored by 7 points in that game, and the combined scoring total was 228, which was higher than the O/U line of 220.5.
Overall, the Suns are 38-27 this season, which is good for 7th place in the Western Conference. Against other Western Conference teams, they are 22-19 and 7-8 against their division.
On the road, the Suns have a straight-up record of 17-13, and they have won their last two road games. As the underdog, their record is 6-11, and they are 7-10 vs. the spread as the underdog.
Phoenix’s offense has been one of the most efficient units in the NBA this season. They are currently 5th in field goal percentage and 4th in true shooting percentage. The Suns are also 9th in two-point field goal percentage at 56%. However, they are only 21st in three-pointers made per game.
So far this season, Phoenix has outscored the NBA scoring average in 56.9% of their games. They are averaging 117 points per game, which is 11th in the league. On the road, the Suns are scoring 117.1 points per game compared to 116.9 at home.
When it comes to pace, Phoenix is 15th in the NBA at 98.6 possessions per game. In terms of assists, they are 13th with an average of 26.5 per game. In terms of offensive rebounds, the Suns are 20th in the league.
At present, the Suns’ defense is ranked 16th, allowing 114.3 points per game. For the season, Phoenix is ranked 22nd in fewest fouls per game. Team’s are averaging 21.5 free-throws per game vs. the Suns and have an overall field goal percentage of 46.5%.
- Eric Gordon (Questionable) Knee
- Damion Lee (Out) Knee
- Josh Okogie (Out) Hip
- Nassir Little (Probable) Left Knee
Can the Celtics Live Up to the Hype at Home?
Boston has a record of 32-30 against the spread this season, and they have covered the spread in three straight games. At home, they are 17-14 ATS and 15-16 ATS on the road.
On average, Celtics games have finished with 230.4 points per game, which is higher than today’s O/U line of 228. This season, their games have averaged an O/U line of 230.5 points.
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are in 1st place with a record of 51-14. Their win over the Jazz in their last game pushed their O/U line of 230 points.
Against the spread, the Celtics have gone 30-29 as the favorite this season. Today, they are favored by 5.5 points. As the favorite, their ATS record is 49-13, and they have won three straight games as the favorite.
In non-conference games, the Celtics are 18-7 and 33-7 against other Eastern Conference teams. At home, they have a scoring margin of +15.4 PPG compared to +7.0 PPG on the road.
The Celtics’ offense has been one of the league’s best this season, ranking 2nd in scoring at 120.8 points per game. At home, they have been even better, averaging 123.4 points per game.
Boston’s offense is built around the three-point shot, as they lead the league in three-point attempts (42.3 per game) and makes (16.3 per game). Overall, they are shooting 38% from beyond the arc.
When it comes to two-point shooting, the Celtics are 3rd in the league with a 57% conversion rate. However, they are just 27th in two-point makes and 30th in two-point attempts.
The Celtics’ defense is presently ranked 5th in the league, allowing an average of 109.6 points per contest. Inside the arc, the Celtics defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 51.7% and 34.5% from three-point territory.
- Kristaps Porzingis (Out) Hamstring
- Jaylen Brown (Questionable) Back
Suns vs. Celtics Pick
For a point-spread bet in this Suns vs. Celtics matchup, we’re leaning towards the Suns at +5.5. Although our projections show the Celtics winning 117-114, we suggest placing your bet on the Suns for the point-spread.
Pick: Take the Suns at +5.5
The Total
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 228, and our model projects the Suns and Celtics to reach a combined total of 231 points. Our bet is on taking the over.
Pick: Go Over 228 points (-108)
