Celtics vs. Nuggets Picks & Odds: February 25, 2026

The Boston Celtics (+3.5, -108) are winners of four in a row and five of their last nine, but prevailing on the second night of a back-to-back slate in the Mile High City versus the Denver Nuggets (-3.5, -112) won't be an easy task.

Here's an expert pick and player prop for this matchup at Ball Arena on February 25, 2026, including an OVER (-108) on a PRA prop (39.5) for a former Finals Most Valuable Player.

Celtics vs. Nuggets Odds Tonight

Matchup: Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET

Team	Spread	Money	Total
Boston Celtics	+3.5 (-108)	+138	O 230.5 (-110)
Denver Nuggets	-3.5 (-112)	-164	U 230.5 (-110)

Celtics vs. Nuggets Expert Pick Tonight

Boston Celtics +3.5 (-108)

Jaylen Brown (O28.5, +100) wasn't in the lineup for Boston on Tuesday night due to a bruised knee, though his services weren't needed in what still ended up being a 16-point blowout of the Phoenix Suns. His player props are listed for Wednesday, despite his status being questionable, so one can assume he'll be in uniform for now. That's certainly reflected in the spread, because the last time the Celtics played a quality team (Phoenix was missing Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker) without the All-Star wing, they entered as 8.5-point underdogs on the spread in a 21-point loss to the Houston Rockets on Feb. 4. Even with Brown, it still makes sense that the visitors would be underdogs here, even by a narrow margin. Competing on tired legs in Denver's altitude is no easy feat, though its win-loss record may not be the strongest indicator of that this season.

The Nuggets are 15-11 at home and just 12-14 ATS after going 26-15 in their building in 2024-25. Injuries can be attributed to that drop off, of course, as both Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun have missed more than half of the team's games, and three-time league Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic (O27.5 points, -114) sat nearly all of January after suffering a knee injury. Denver actually has a losing record at home since Nov. 17 at 9-11 with just seven successful covers, and it's covered just a single time in its last five outings in its building. Even with a rest advantage, the Nuggets are barely over .500 on the spread at 7-6, which doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence against a red-hot Boston.

What's making me lean with the Celtics is the fact that they've covered eight of the last nine times they've been an underdog. In those nine games, the spread was 3.5 points or less seven times, which is the case once again on Wednesday. Having Brown and his 29.2 points per game would be an obvious boost, and only Derrick White (O17.5 points, -114) and Payton Pritchard (O18.5 points, -112) needed to play at least 34 minutes against the Suns. Denver is just 3-5 in its last eight games, and it's only covered twice the last nine times it's been favored by 3.5 points or more.

Celtics vs. Nuggets Prop Tonight

Jaylen Brown OVER 39.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-108)

Brown will be the most rested and ready player on Boston, just as long as he plays. He strung together a pair of OVERs for a PRA prop of 39.5 in road wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, averaging 27.5 points on 43.5 percent shooting, 11.5 rebounds, and 10 assists in 36.5 minutes of action. Brown also went OVER this mark earlier in the season against Denver, as well, registering a line of 33 points, seven boards, and four dimes in a 114-110 loss at TD Garden on Jan. 7.