NBA Odds: Celtics Favored Over 76ers In Thursday Night Clash In Boston

The Boston Celtics will be looking to sweep their season series against Philadelphia when they host the 76ers on Thursday night as 6-point favorites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

Boston has topped the Sixers in three previous meetings this season, capped by last week’s 114-103 win in London as 2-point chalk, and has posted victories in seven straight home dates with Philadelphia going into Thursday’s 76ers vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.

The Celtics have tallied an Eastern Conference-best 18 straight-up wins on their home court during the current campaign, but are coming off a surprising 116-113 loss to New Orleans as 5.5-point home favorites Tuesday.

Boston surrendered its highest point total in its loss to the Pelicans since outlasting the Denver Nuggets in a 124-118 home victory as 6-point favorites on Dec. 13. Despite Tuesday’s defensive letdown, the Celtics remain second overall in the NBA with just 98.1 opposition points per game allowed and have limited opponents to 98 or fewer points in five of their past eight contests.

That stingy defensive play has not translated into consistent results at the sportsbooks. The Celtics have been a shaky bet since late November, going 10-13-1 against the spread over their past 24 games, including a 6-8-1 ATS run on their home court, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.

However, Boston has paid out in each of its three wins over the 76ers, claiming victory by an average margin of 10.66 points per game, including a 108-97 victory as 8-point chalk at TD Garden on Nov. 30.

The 76ers travel to Boston on a high after Monday’s 117-111 win over the Toronto Raptors as 2-point home underdogs. Philadelphia now has earned SU wins in six of eight but remains stalled in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Philadelphia has shown steady improvement on the road during the current campaign, compiling a 10-10 SU record to date after closing out last season with just 11 total road victories. The 76ers also are a respectable 6-7 SU in 13 dates as road underdogs, including outright wins in two of their past three, and are 4-4-1 ATS in their past nine road dates while pegged as underdogs of six or more points.

Following Thursday’s contest, the Celtics close out their homestand with a Sunday afternoon visit from the Orlando Magic before hitting the road for a four-game Western swing that starts in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Celtics have taken six straight from the Magic, who are mired in a 10-game SU slide on the road and have also dominated the Lakers in four straight outright wins.