76ers vs. Celtics Spread at Boston -5.5 for Pivotal Game 7
Carrie Stroup here with your 76ers vs. Celtics spread, which had Boston as a -5.5 favorite for this elimination game. You can find all the latest betting odds at Sportsbook here.
Sportsbook.ag Line: Boston -5.5 & 170.5
Opening Line & Total: Celtics -5.5 & 171
After a see-saw series where neither team has won two in a row, the 76ers and Celtics will play a decisive Game 7 Saturday afternoon with the winner getting a trip to Miami for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Wednesday’s Game 6 was not an offensive showcase for either team as Philadelphia won 82-75. Boston shot 33% FG and 21% threes (3-for-14), while committing more turnovers (17) than assists (14). The Sixers shot a strong 46% FG, but made just 1-of-9 threes and 61% free throws (17-for-28). 76ers PG Jrue Holiday was his team’s best player with 20 points and six assists, and PF Elton Brand had a second straight tremendous game with 13 points and 10 rebounds. But winning a Game 7 in Boston will not be an easy task. The Celtics have been a great home team this season (29-10, 20-19 ATS), limiting visitors to just 84.3 PPG on 40.6% FG. Although Philly has lost eight of its past 10 games at TD Garden, it did win Game 2 of this series in Boston by keeping the score low (82-81). The C’s crushed the Sixers in Game 5 at home (101-85), but Philly was able to shoot a series-high 47% FG that game. Boston is 2-4 ATS at home in the playoffs and both shooting guards (Avery Bradley and Ray Allen) are hurting. The Celtics are also 18-31 ATS (37%) after allowing 90 points or less in back-to-back games over the past two seasons.
Despite the two off-days, neither team has been great with a long layoff, as the Celtics are 6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS, while the 76ers are 5-7 SU, 7-5 ATS in this well-rested scenario. Philly is a mediocre 20-21 (SU and ATS) coming off an SU win, but Boston is just 18-13 (15-16 ATS) after an SU loss. In terms of Game 7 history, the Celtics are 20-7 SU all-time while the 76ers are 6-8 SU, but haven’t played a Game 7 since 2002. Boston has played in five Game 7’s since 2001, winning the first three at home by 34, 5 and 10 points. But the team has dropped its past two Game 7’s, losing at home to Orlando in 2009 and coming up short in the 2010 NBA Finals in Los Angeles.
PF Kevin Garnett continues to be the most valuable player of this series, pouring in another double-double (20 pts, 11 reb) in Game 6. He’s now averaging 20.0 PPG (52% FG) and 10.7 RPG, while posting a +55 rating through six games. PG Rajon Rondo had his worst game of the series on Wednesday, scoring just nine points with six assists and four turnovers. However, Rondo is averaging 14.7 APG in three home games this series, including 27 assists and just four turnovers in his past two games at TD Garden. SF Paul Pierce posted 24 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday, but he has struggled at home in this series (12.3 PPG on 29.6% FG, 5.0 RPG), especially compared to how well he’s performed in Philadelphia (24.0 PPG on 46.3% FG, 9.3 RPG). PF Brandon Bass was held to just eight points on 2-of-12 shooting on Wednesday, but had his breakout game in Game 5 at home (27 points on 9-of-13 FG). With SG Avery Bradley likely out for Game 7 (shoulder), SG Ray Allen will have to provide more consistent outside shooting. The man with the most three-pointers in NBA history is just 7-for-27 from downtown in the series, including 3-of-14 in the past four contests. But he did score 14.5 PPG on 11-of-24 FG in Games 1-2 at TD Garden, and has certainly hit a number of big shots in his career.
Brand is showing no ill effects from the shoulder/neck injury that has limited him throughout the playoffs. After totaling 17 points (38.9% FG) in Games 1-4, Brand has averaged 16.0 PPG (59% FG) and 6.5 RPG in the past two contests. Holiday has now scored in double figures in each of his past five games, averaging 13.7 PPG, 5.0 APG and 4.5 RPG for the series. He has made 11-of-21 FG (6-of-9 threes) in his past two games in Boston, but is still saddled with a minus-37 rating for the series. SF Andre Iguodala has been mostly strong throughout the series with 13.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 4.0 APG. Curiously, he’s made just 35.6% FG of his two-point tries, but a hefty 52.4% (11-for-21) of his threes for the series. SG Evan Turner has two double-doubles on the road in this series, averaging 12.3 PPG and 8.7 RPG at TD Garden. But he has just not shot the ball well against Boston, making just 33.8% FG and 62.5% FT in these conference semifinals. PG Lou Williams (10.8 PPG, 3.8 APG in series) and SF Thaddeus Young (8.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG in series) continue to provide valuable minutes off the bench, but the duo has connected on just 12-of-34 shots (35%) over the past two contests.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
