Celtics Look To Continue Home Dominance Vs 76ers

The Boston Celtics (15-15 SU, 15-14-1 ATS) opened as 3-point favorites hosting the Philadelphia 76ers (15-15, 13-17) on Monday at TD Garden. The Celtics, who have gone 2-4 in their last six outings, will look to gain some momentum, while the 76ers will try to snap a three-game losing skid.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Celtics opened as 3-point chalk Monday morning as some sportsbooks delayed posting odds given the uncertainty surrounding both lineups and the game itself. The total opened at 213.5 points. The UNDER is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings while Boston is 16-3 in the last 19 meetings at home.

Philadelphia News & Notes

The 76ers lost to the Brooklyn Nets in their last game on Thursday, falling by a score of 114-105. Kevin Durant was dominant again for Brooklyn with 34 points and 11 rebounds while Joel Embiid led the way for Philadelphia with 32 points and nine boards. Seth Curry also had a strong showing in the loss with 29 points.

Philadelphia was slated to play the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday but the game was postponed as the 76ers struggled to put together a team of eight players.

Andre Drummond and Shake Milton were both placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Sunday while Embiid (ankle), Tyrese Maxey (quad) and Danny Green (hip) are all questionable for Monday.

Boston News & Notes

The Celtics were victorious in their last outing Saturday as they beat the New York Knicks 114-107. Josh Richardson led Boston with 27 points while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown dropped 25 and 23, respectively, in the win.

Like the 76ers and many other teams, the Celtics have been decimated by a mixture of injuries and COVID-19. Al Horford, Jabari Parker, Grant Williams, Juancho Hernangomez, Brodric Thomas and Richardson were all recently added to health and safety protocols and won’t play Monday.

Meanwhile, Tatum (ankle), Dennis Schroder (illness) and Romeo Langford (neck) are listed as questionable.

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How Philadelphia Will Cover

The 76ers will hope that all of Embiid, Maxey and Green are good to go for Monday, which would obviously provide a huge boost. Embiid posted 32 points in just 33 minutes on the floor in his last outing and, if healthy, will likely be relied upon for a similar performance on Monday if Philadelphia is going to win.

How Boston Will Cover

The Celtics will similarly be hoping that their top scorer, Tatum, is able to play in Monday’s matchup. If the team’s top offensive trio of Tatum, Brown and Schroder are all in the lineup, Boston should be able to top a depleted Philadelphia squad.

Computer Pick: Celtics -3

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