The Boston Celtics (53-31, 44-38-2 ATS) visit the Brooklyn Nets (45-40, 33-49-3) on Saturday at Barclays Center with an opportunity to go up 3-0 in the series. Can Boston win its third straight or will Brooklyn get back into the series? Find out in our Celtics vs Nets prediction.
- Date/Time: April 23, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Barclays Center
- TV Coverage: ESPN, NBC Sports, YES
- Sportsbook Odds: Nets -3.5 | O/U 224 (Line History)
- Celtics vs Nets Matchup Report
Celtics vs Nets Odds & Analysis
Sportsbook Odds
The Nets opened as a 3.5-point favorite for Game 3 as the series shifts to Brooklyn with the total set at 224 points. The UNDER is 7-2 in Brooklyn’s last nine games while the OVER is 11-3 in Boston’s last 14 outings. Boston has now won five straight meetings against Brooklyn so there’s no reason to doubt the visitors in your Celtics vs Nets prediction.
Get the best Celtics vs Nets odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.
- Best Spread-108-112BOS+3.5-3.5BKN
- Best Moneyline+153-165BOSBKN
- Best Total- --110Over222.5Under
Celtics Defense Shuts Down Nets Stars In Game 2
It wasn’t a picture-perfect game for the Celtics, who had to rally from 17 down, but they picked up a 114-107 win on Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead in the series over the Nets. Jaylen Brown led the way offensively with 22 points – including 10 in the fourth quarter – while seven of Boston’s eight players finished in double digits.
The Celtics’ defense has been their strength all year long and it came to the forefront in Game 2 again. Boston held Kevin Durant without a basket throughout the entire second half as he shot 4-for-17 from the field in the contest, while Kyrie Irving scored just 10 points after a 39-point performance in Game 1.
Robert Williams III (knee) is questionable for Saturday.
Nets Lose Another Game In Disappointing Fashion
After losing to a buzzer-beater in Game 1, the Nets blew a big lead in Game 2 to suffer their second straight disappointing loss and fall into a two-game hole. Durant led the team with 27 points while Bruce Brown Jr. scored 23.
Durant and Irving combined for 62 points in Game 1 but that number fell all the way to 37 in Game 2 as the Celtics did a stellar job of forcing tough shots, particularly late in the game. The Brooklyn duo shot just 1-for-17 from the field in the second half and the Nets just didn’t have enough secondary scoring to keep up.
Ben Simmons (back) could apparently return as soon as Game 4, while Blake Griffin (ankle) is questionable for Saturday.
Celtics vs Nets Pick & Insights
Celtics: Keys to Cover
The Celtics demonstrated exactly why they’re a championship contender in Game 2: team defense. Boston had the top-ranked defense in the NBA this season, allowing just 104.6 points per game, and they’ve more or less held two of the league’s best scorers in check through the first two meetings of the series. Do that again and the Celtics will take a stranglehold on the series.
Nets: Keys to Cover
The Nets live and die by Durant and Irving so they’ll need a big performance from both of them in Game 2. The duo combined for 62 points in Game 1 and they were arguably unlucky to lose to a last-second bucket by the Celtics. If the Nets stars can combine for 60-plus again, Brooklyn will definitely have a chance to win.
Odds Shark’s Computer Celtics vs Nets Prediction: Celtics +3
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- Boston is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 road games.
- The OVER is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
- Brooklyn is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings at home.
