NBA Picks & Predictions: 76ers vs. Celtics (Saturday)
The NBA playoffs roll on Saturday with a Game 7 matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics at TD Garden on NBC and Peacock at 7:30 p.m. ET. Here are our best NBA picks & predictions for Saturday, May 2nd.
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Saturday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
Philadelphia 76ers (+235) at Boston Celtics (-290) | O/U 205.5 (-106/-114)
The 76ers forced a Game 7 with a 106-93 victory in Thursday’s Game 6 at the Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia as 5.5-point underdogs while the Under (213.5) cashed.
In Game 6, the Celtics shot just 42% (36-of-86) from the field, and 29% (12-of-41) from behind the 3-point line. It was also a dismal 56% (9-of-16) from the free-throw line, while the 76ers were 44% (39-of-89) from the field, and 33% (11-of-33) from downtown. On the free-throw stripe, that’s where the 76ers did their best damage, hitting 89% (17-of-19). Philly was also plus-2 in rebounding, and plus-4 on assists, while it was plus-1 in turnover margin. Philly even had a plus-2 in fast-break points.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown went for 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, while connecting on 2-of-6 from behind the arc. He turned it over a team-high five times, too. Jayson Tatum was good for 17 points with 11 rebounds, the only double-double for Boston. Neemias Queta had 11 boards, too, while producing two of the team’s three blocks, but he managed just four points.
Philadelphia had all five starters go for 14 or more points, while Tyrese Maxey led the way with 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting, and 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point line. He also had five assists and two steals. Paul George was good for 23 points with five triples, while adding four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. Rookie VJ Edgecombe produced 14 points with eight boards, while adding three dimes and two swats.
The 76ers have erased a 3-1 series lead by the Celtics to force this decisive Game 7. They’re 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in the past five games, while the Under has connected in five of the six meetings in this series. The only exception was Game 4 in Philadelphia, a 128-96 rout by Boston as 5.5-point favorites. That was also Boston’s only cover in the past five games in the series. The Under is also 6-1 in seven postseason games for Philly, if you include the Play-In win over Orlando, and 11-2 in the past 13 games since April 3 of the regular season.
We’ll keep rolling with the Under, as the nerves will be high in an elimination game for both teams. This is the first Game 7 for Boston since May 29, 2023 in the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost 103-84 in that game at home, and the Under cashed. The Celtics defeated Philadelphia 112-88 in Game 7 in the second round that season on May 14, 2023, at TD Garden, cashing as a 6.5-point favorite as the Under (200.5) came in. The Under is 4-1 in the past five Game 7s for the C’s.
This is the first Game 7 for Philadelphia since that Round 2 loss to Boston. Prior to that, Philadelphia lost 103-96 in Game 7 in “The Bubble” in the second round against the Atlanta Hawks, 103-96, as the Under (215.5) connected. In the second round in 2019, Philly lost 92-90 at Toronto in a Game 7. The 76ers covered as 6.5-point underdogs, but the Under (209.5) again cashed. In Game 7, also against Boston, in the second round in 2012, the 76ers lost 85-75 at Boston as a 6-point underdog as the Under cashed.
While Boston should get the job done at home, too, as it has taken care of Philly in the past two Game 7 matchups, let’s go with the 76ers catching those points. The way Philly has scratched back, it’s hard to envision a double-digit loss in the decisive game of the series.
Picks: 76ers +8.5 (-118) & Under 205.5 Points (-114)
Joe Williams is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Joe, check out his archive and follow him @winwithjoe