Celtics vs. Sixers Game 3: Odds, Lines, Picks & Best Bets

Forbes

05 May 2023

Celtics vs. Sixers Game 3: Odds, Lines, Picks & Best Bets

Betting Matchup Preview

Who: Boston Celtics (1-1) at Philadelphia 76ers (1-1)
When: Friday, May 5, 2023
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Celtics -2.5 (-110), 76ers +2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Celtics -140, 76ers +120
Total: Over/Under 214.5 (-110/-110)

After dropping Game 1 at home in Boston against the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics responded in a big way in Game 2. Jaylen Brown led the way with 25 points in a 34-point blowout to even the series.

Five different Celtics players scored in double-digits, but surprisingly none were named Jason Tatum. Tatum was held to a mere seven points—his lowest point total all season. While it is clear that Embiid is not completely healthy, the 76ers did their job by taking one on the road and now have a chance to take the series lead on their home court.

Spread, Moneyline, Total: Celtics vs. 76ers

The main storyline in this series is the health and play of Embiid. Embiid, who won his first career MVP this past week, is dealing with a knee injury and did not look 100% in his return from a two-week absence in Game 2.

Philadelphia got a 45-point performance from James Harden in Game 1, but he was held to just 12 points in Game 2. Everyone on the team struggled in the last game, but they will need more from Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and De’Anthony Melton to succeed and win this series. More importantly, the Sixers need Embiid to return to his MVP level if they want to outlast Boston.

The Celtics showed their ability to bounce back after losing at home in Game 1. Boston dominated despite minimal contributions from Tatum. The Celtics got a big game out of Jaylen Brown, who set the tone early, but the play of Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White and others makes this Boston team so tough. It’s clear that the Celtics are the more complete team with a deeper bench. If Tatum returns to form, it will be hard for Philadelphia to pull this series out.

DraftKings Sportsbook has the Celtics as the road favorites by 2.5 points on the spread. If Embiid is healthy, which it does not look like he is, then the 76ers have a fighting chance. However, Boston is healthier and has more weapons, so it should be able to win this one.

The over/under is set at 214.5 points, which seems a tad low in what could be a big game for both teams as they look to take an edge in the series. Game 1 saw the two teams combined for 234 points, whereas Game 2 was a blowout early into the second half. This series has started unpredictably, but we like the over bet here.

Player Prop Bets: Celtics vs. 76ers

The best player prop bet for this game is Jaylen Brown to make over 2.5 three-pointers (-110).

After struggling in the first three games against the Atlanta Hawks, Brown has been sharp in the last five games. He’s been making 65.5% of his shots from beyond the arc since Game 4 of the first round. He also has at least three shots made from deep in each of those games.

Brown has been a model of consistency throughout these playoffs, which is why we believe it’s viable to take Brown to come up clutch from downtown in Game 3.

Same-Game Parlay

Same-game parlays are wagers that incorporate multiple legs within the same sporting event, increasing the risk and potential payout. These are long-shot bets that should be done with caution, but they can add excitement to your experience watching the game.

There are a lot of choices to put in a same-game parlay for the Celtics vs. 76ers on Friday, but here is a look at our five viable selections:

Jaylen Brown 3+ Made Threes (+100)
Jayson Tatum 25+ Points (-240)
Joel Embiid 20+ Points (-475)
James Harden 8+ Assists (-120)
Boston Celtics -1.5 (-125)

This parlay gives us +900 odds, which means a $100 bet would return $900 in profits along with your original stake. Again, you probably won’t win this wager.

Boston surprisingly dropped Game 1 at home but responded in a big way for Game 2. We’re taking the Celtics to cover the spread and adding two legs apiece for each team in our parlay.

For Boston, we already mentioned the reasoning for Jaylen Brown and his consistent three-point shooting, but we also expect Jayson Tatum to have a big game. Even though his team won Game 2, you can bet behind closed doors that Tatum was furious with himself. Expect him to be a man on a mission and have a big night in Game 3.

Speaking of big nights, you have to imagine that Joel Embiid will be showered with chants of “MVP” every time he touches the ball at home in Game 3. Expect the big man to play on pure adrenaline and put up at least 20 points.

Lastly, James Harden averaged 10.7 assists per game during the regular season. He’s only gone over 7.5 twice in six playoff games this year so far, but expect him to be more of a facilitator with Embiid back in the lineup.