Celtics vs Suns Prediction NBA Picks 3/9/24

Phoenix Suns (37-26) vs Boston Celtics (48-14)

Game Info: Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 8:30 pm (Footprint Center)

Betting Odds: Phoenix Suns +5.5 -- Over/Under: 228

The Boston Celtics look for a win after winning 10 of their last 12 games. The Phoenix Suns look for a win after splitting their last 8 games. Here’s a Boston Celtics vs Phoenix Suns prediction.

Boston Celtics Betting Preview

The Boston Celtics recently beat the Warriors while losing to the Cavs and Nuggets. The Boston Celtics are averaging 120.8 points on 48.5 percent shooting and allowing 109.9 points on 44.8 percent shooting. Jayson Tatum is averaging 26.8 points and 8.4 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown is averaging 22.8 points and 5.6 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis is the third double-digit scorer and Derrick White is grabbing 4 rebounds. The Boston Celtics are shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc and 81 percent from the free throw line. The Boston Celtics are allowing 34.7 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 47.2 rebounds per game.

Phoenix Suns Betting Preview

The Phoenix Suns recently lost to the Thunder, while beating the Nuggets and Raptors. The Phoenix Suns are averaging 117.1 points on 49.2 percent shooting and allowing 114.3 points on 46.3 percent shooting. Kevin Durant is averaging 28 points and 5.4 assists, while Devin Booker is averaging 27.5 points and 4.6 rebounds. Bradley Beal is the third double-digit scorer and Grayson Allen is grabbing 3.9 rebounds. The Phoenix Suns are shooting 37.8 percent from beyond the arc and 80.7 percent from the free throw line. The Phoenix Suns are allowing 36.4 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 44.1 rebounds per game.

Phoenix Suns Player Facts

• Kevin Durant ranks 4th amongst qualified players for points per game (28.0) this season.
• Jusuf Nurkic ranks 7th amongst qualified players for rebounds per game (10.8) this season.

Boston Celtics Player Facts

• Jrue Holiday ranks 2nd in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (44.3%) this season.
• Kristaps Porzingis is one of only five qualified players in the league averaging at least 1.5 threes and 1.5 blocks this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Suns rank 1st in the league for free throw attempts per game this season (25.2).
• The Suns rank 30th in the league for Q4 points per game this season (24.9).
• The Celtics rank 1st in the league for point differential per game this season (+10.9).
• The Celtics rank 1st in the league for rebounds per game this season (47.2).

Boston Celtics vs Phoenix Suns prediction

The Boston Celtics have been the better, more consistent team, but they're coming off shaky performances against the Cavs and Nuggets that could raise eyebrows. The Celtics have also seen 11 of their 14 losses come on the road. The Phoenix Suns have 20 home wins, and the combination of Durant and Beal makes free points intriguing. Also, Jaylen Brown continues to battle a pelvis issue and was questionable at the time of this writing. At home, I'll lean toward the Suns and the free buckets based on the value. The Suns could win this game outright if the shots fall.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.