NBA Odds: Celtics Pegged As Home Underdogs In Game 5 Against 76ers
The Boston Celtics will get another chance to close out their Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Philadelphia 76ers when they return home for Game 5 on Wednesday as 1.5-point underdogs on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston failed to capitalize on an opportunity to complete a four-game sweep of the Sixers in Monday’s 103-92 loss in Philadelphia as a 7-point underdog but rides a seven-game straight-up win streak on home hardwood going into Wednesday night’s 76ers vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.
The Celtics’ current run on home court includes six straight playoff victories and a trio of outright wins as home underdogs. Two of those upset wins came against Philadelphia, including a 117-101 win over the 76ers as 5-point underdogs in Game 1 of the series, followed by narrower 108-103 victory as 3.5-point underdogs three nights later.
In addition, the Celtics have suffered consecutive SU losses just once in their past 15 home dates and remain a strong bet to eventually finish off the 76ers, with lofty -470 odds on the NBA playoff series prices. But despite their recent consistent play the Celtics continue to lag behind the favorites on the NBA championship odds at +2000.
While the 76ers avoided the sweep with Monday’s win, they continue to face a daunting task. No NBA team ever has rebounded from a 3-0 series deficit to claim victory, while just 19 teams in NBA history have completed the series comeback after falling behind 3-1.
Philadelphia also must overcome a dismal record when playing Game 5 on the road, losing SU in 16 of 17 since 1980. As well, they have averaged a meager 80.75 points per game over their past eight such outings, including a 101-85 loss in Boston as 5-point underdogs in Game 5 of their second-round matchup during the 2012 NBA playoffs.
However, the Sixers cannot be taken lightly after racking up nine straight outright wins on the road prior to the start of their series with Boston. Philadelphia also has enjoyed regular success as a road favorite, going 11-3 SU while covering in eight of its past 14, and has not suffered three road losses in a playoff series since falling to the Miami Heat in five games in the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs.
But with a mountain to climb, the 76ers continue to sport distant odds at the sportsbooks, where they are pegged as long +395 underdogs on the NBA series prices and have plummeted to +4000 on the NBA championship odds.
