The Boston Celtics have won back-to-back games to take back home-court advantage against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and they have a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead on Sunday.
Boston has picked up back-to-back double-digit wins, moving it to a combined (regular season and playoffs) 5-2 against the Sixers this season.
Since Joe Mazzulla made the adjustment of putting Jaylen Brown on James Harden, the former MVP has struggled mightily offensively, shooting 2-for-14 in Game 2 and 3-for-14 in Game 3.
The Sixers simply can’t win with that production, but can Harden turn things around on Sunday to even the series?
Here’s a look at the latest odds and my best bet for this matchup:
Celtics vs. Sixers odds, spread and total
Celtics vs. Sixers prediction and pick
The Sixers were solid at home in the regular season, but I think this series may be over.
Boston lost Game 1 at home in a poor defensive performance (Harden scored 45 points) but the team has gone back to what has made it successful all season.
The Celtics are not only locking up on defense, but they are taking a ton of shots from 3 after attempting just 26 in Game 1.
The results have paid off, as Boston made 20 shots from deep in Game 2 and 16 in Game 3. Philly simply hasn’t played well enough on offense to combat that.
Boston has been favored on the road a whopping 38 times this season, going 25-13 straight up in those matchups.
The Celtics have shown they can win games without their best players going off (Jayson Tatum had just seven points in Game 2), and the team is getting solid contributions from role players like Al Horford, Grant Williams and Malcolm Brogdon.
Philly has struggled with Boston all season, and unless Harden turns back the clock like he did in Game 1, I think Boston heads back home with a 3-1 series lead.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.