Celtics at Rockets (3/13): Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet
The Rockets (15-52) host the second matchup of a six-game homestand when the Celtics (47-21) visit Toyota Center on Monday night. On paper, it’s a clear mismatch, with Boston owning the NBA’s second-best record of the 2022-23 season and Houston the worst.
That said, there are a few reasons for optimism with the young and rebuilding Rockets. They’ve won two of their last five games, overall, and two of those three losses were Thursday’s overtime setback at Indiana and Saturday’s home loss to Chicago — in which Houston led for the vast majority of the game before losing control late.
Generally speaking, the Rockets are getting more competitive, and the improved play by rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. is perhaps the biggest reason. Over his last five games, the No. 3 overall draft pick of the 2022 first round is averaging 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 33.7 minutes on 54.2% shooting and 45.5% on 3-pointers.
If you’re looking to do last-minute betting research for Monday’s Celtics-Rockets game, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet at BetMGM.
The game starts at 7 p.m. Central and can be seen via AT&T SportsNet Southwest (in Houston markets) or on NBA League Pass.
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- Point spread: Celtics -12.5
- Money line: Celtics -800 / Rockets +600
- Over-under: 231.5
Celtics at Rockets injury report:
- Rockets: Alperen Sengun probable (left groin strain)
- Celtics: Danilo Gallinari out (left knee ACL repair), Payton Pritchard out (left heel pain), Robert Williams III out (left hamstring strain)
Advice and prediction
Generally speaking, the most plausible path for a huge underdog to pull an upset is if the favorite overlooks them. That’s unlikely to be the case, here, with Boston having lost four of its last seven games. At the moment, the Celtics only lead Philadelphia by one game in the loss column for the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference standings — and home-court advantage in a likely second-round matchup.
Boston needs a win, and Houston is a good place for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s incentivized squad to get one.
Prediction: Celtics 121, Rockets 106
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
