Filip Tomic
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It’s a highly anticipated Game 1 matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics as the teams collide today at TD Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 pm ET on ABC and I’ve prepared a same game parlay which is available below.
Be sure to also check our predictions on the side and total for the rest of Sunday’s 4-game NBA Playoffs slate, but let’s get into the Nets vs Celtics game first.
Boston Celtics 1-10 win margin (+175)
Kyrie Irving under 27.5 points (-108)
Seth Curry over 2.5 made threes (+126)
Jayson Tatum to score 30+ points (-118)
Parlay odds: +1994
Boston Celtics 1-10 win margin (+175)
The Celtics are a dangerous team on both ends of the floor and will look to use their home court and rest advantage to take down the Nets. Boston gets attention for its offensive playmakers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but it’s their defense that has paved the way for this team. The Celtics rank 1st in defensive rating and give up the fewest points per game in the league, so their stingy defense should cause problems for a Nets team that is heavily reliant on their offense. Additionally, the Celtics rank in the top half of the league in points per game, field-goal percentage, and offensive rating, so their offense has been just as dangerous and makes them one of the most well-rounded teams in the league. Game 1 should be close, but the Celtics have home-court advantage and their fans can help to carry them to a win.
Be sure to check out our full Game 1 preview for Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving under 27.5 points (-108)
Kyrie Irving is fasting for Ramadan and that means he cannot eat any food or drink any liquids before sunset. Why is this relevant? Well, today’s game tips off at 3:30 pm ET and that could be an issue for Irving. Fasting itself is challenging on the body, but imagine having to do that while playing in an NBA Playoffs game on the road in Boston? We’ve all been impressed with Irving’s play lately, but it will require a superhuman effort to even stay on the court, let alone put up 28 points on the 2nd-best defense in the NBA under these circumstances. He’s played the Celtics once during the regular season and scored just 19 points, and I think that’s a more realistic number for today’s game.
Sunday’s NBA mega parlay is also available (+1309 odds!)
Seth Curry over 2.5 made threes (+126)
With Irving potentially struggling, other players will have to step up and that’s where Curry comes in. The Celtics defense hasn’t been able to figure out how to stop him during the regular season. He averaged 18 points per game against them while shooting 54.7% from the field and an impressive 56% from downtown. For some reason he just enjoys playing at the TD Garden. In 3 games there during the regular season he shot the three-ball at 77%. He finished the regular season scoring 3 threes in 2 of his last 3 games, I think there’s a really solid chance of him hitting 3 shots, and the price on that bet is just too good to pass up.
Now check out our NBA first basket predictions for Sunday (+8700 odds!)
Jayson Tatum to score 30+ points (-118)
Facing Kevin Durant has brought the best out of Jayson Tatum this season. He’s averaged 29.5 points per game against the Nets in 4 meetings, including going for 54 points the last time he faced them at TD Garden. He’s scored 30+ in 2 straight meetings, while shooting 50% or better in each game. He drained 8 threes in that spectacular performance in early March and the Nets defense hasn’t got that much better since then. Expecting another 50+ point game isn’t realistic, but Tatum shouldn’t have a hard time getting to 30. He did that in the final game of the regular season against Memphis and twice over the 4 games played in April. In March he scored 30+ in 9 of 13 games on a very efficient 54% from the field and 44% from three. If Brooklyn doesn’t get Ben Simmons back in this series, they could be in a lot of trouble.
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