The Boston Celtics could have the tonic they need tonight to stop a mini two-game losing skid when they head to Barclays to play the Nets. The Celts have won 10 straight in this matchup and enter tonight’s game as a 4-point favorite with the total at 221. The last time the Celtics lost in Brooklyn was November 2015, a span of five games. A day after calling out his teammates for not having a championship mentality, Kyrie Irving is questionable with a bruised quadriceps.
- Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road.
- Brooklyn is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games at home.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn.
Celtics Won by 21 Points Last Week
The teams have met just once this season – last week in Beantown. The Celtics came away with a 116-95 win as 10.5-point favorites as the total went UNDER 219. Brad Stevens’ group spread the scoring around as eight players were in double-digit points while Kyrie was the high scorer with 17 points.
Rodions Kurucs was the leading scorer for Brooklyn, tying his season high with 24 on the strength of hitting five of eight shots from beyond the arc. The five three-pointers were also a season high for the Latvian rookie.
Boston is 3-1 SU and ATS Without Kyrie
Potentially playing without Irving isn’t the worst thing in the world for Boston or its bettors heading into Brooklyn. In fact, the uncertainty around the leading scorer’s availability will likely help drive down the line, making a Celtics bet more attractive.
Another factor that sees this line a lot closer than in the game last week is Boston’s road spread record. The Celtics are 8-14 ATS away from TD Garden this season and 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.
My Pick For Tonight
We are seeing action driving this line smaller with the news that Kyrie Irving is questionable to play in this one. With a 21-point win over the opposition just last week in their back pocket, I think the Celtics will win and cover the spread with or without their top scorer. They’ve already proven that winning games when relying on depth is a strength of this Boston team.
