The 2021 NBA Playoffs continue with a triple-header on Friday evening. In the second of three games, the Brooklyn Nets travel to TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of a seven-game series. Brooklyn leads the series by a 2-0 margin with a pair of convincing victories at Barclays Center. Boston will attempt to reclaim its footing in a return to a home venue at which the Celtics posted a 21-15 record this season.
Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET in Boston. The latest Nets vs. Celtics odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Brooklyn as a 7.5-point road favorite. The over-under for total points is set at 227. Before finalizing any Celtics vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up almost $800 on its top-rated picks this season and entered the first full week of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on a stunning 99-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen massive returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Celtics in the NBA Playoffs 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Celtics vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Celtics spread: Nets -7.5
- Nets vs. Celtics over-under: 227 points
- Nets vs. Celtics money line: Nets -330, Celtics +270
- BKN: The Nets are 7-0 against the spread in the last seven games
- BOS: The Celtics are 4-6 against the spread in the last 10 games
Why the Nets can cover
With the trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving leading the way, Brooklyn is the more talented team by a wide margin, and the Nets have been dominant to this point in the series. The Nets are No. 1 in the NBA Playoffs 2021 in net rating, out-scoring the Celtics by 17.5 points per 100 possessions. Brooklyn's offense is elite, leading the NBA in points per possession (1.17) during the regular season, but the Nets are also leaving their mark on defense. Brooklyn is No. 3 in the playoffs in defensive rating, giving up only 1.03 points per possession to Boston.
The Nets were also a top-10 team in 2-point shooting allowed, assists allowed, blocked shots and overall shooting efficiency allowed in the regular season. Beyond their star power on offense, the Nets also have one of the NBA's best shooters in Joe Harris. Harris is averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 56 percent from 3-point range in the series, with the Celtics still searching for answers to slow him down.
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is capable of much more than what it has shown in the first two games. Jayson Tatum, who is expected to play despite being poked in the eye in Game 2, averaged 26.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in the regular season, with Kemba Walker (questionable, knee) adding 19.3 points and 4.3 assists. The Celtics posted a top-10 offensive rating (113.1 points per 100 possessions) in the league during the regular season, with the No. 3 mark in offensive rebound rate (28.9 percent). In addition, Marcus Smart's game molds well to the postseason, and he is averaging 18.0 points and 5.5 assists per contest in the series.
Defensively, the Celtics have a tall order against the Nets, but they yielded only 111.8 points per 100 possessions in the regular season. That mark was accrued by holding opponents to just 52.4 percent shooting inside the arc, and the Celtics were No. 6 in the NBA in blocked shots, rejecting 5.3 attempts per game from the opposition.
How to make Celtics vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting 230 total points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.
