Celtics-76ers Odds: Boston A Heavy Favorite Vs. Winless Philadelphia
The Boston Celtics will look for back-to-back wins at home for the first time this season when they entertain the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night as heavy 10 1/2-point betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston returns home following a brief two-game road swing, which included a 111-101 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, followed by a 121-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. The Celtics have struggled to contain opposing offenses in recent days, surrendering an average of 104 points per game in three contests prior to their Tuesday date in Atlanta.
However, their offense has been a saving grace, averaging 103.7 points per game through their first 13 games, and 106.3 points per game at home this season, going into Wednesday night’s 76ers vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.
The Celtics’ respectable start to the season also has buoyed their NBA championship betting odds, which have jumped to 50/1 after opening the season at 100/1. They remain a competitive 20/1 in Eastern Conference futures betting.
It has been a disastrous campaign so far for the Sixers, who are a dismal 0-15 SU, just four losses shy of the NBA record for most consecutive defeats to start a regular season. Philadelphia’s woes date well back into last season, with the club posting its last SU win a full eight months ago, a 99-85 win over the Denver Nuggets on March 25.
The 76ers now have lost 25 in a row but have shown some hints of progress at the sportsbooks, going 4-2 ATS in their last six games to improve to 7-8 ATS on the season, including a 4-4 ATS mark when pegged as double-digit underdogs.
Things won’t get easier for Philly in its visit to Boston, where it is winless SU and ATS in its last three, extending its losing streak against the Celtics to five games.
The Celtics follow up their visit from the 76ers with a home date against the Washington Wizards on Friday night, followed by a five-game road swing that starts against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. The Wizards are 0-2 SU and ATS in their last two visits to Boston, and 2-8 SU in their last 10, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
