Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Betting Pick & Prediction 2/20/25

At 7:00 ET, the 76ers (-277) will host the Celtics (+228) at the Wells Fargo Center. The Celtics (-7) are favored by 7 points over the 76ers (+7). The over/under line is currently sitting at 223.5 points.

Boston (39-16) is currently on a 3-game win streak and is 2nd in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia (20-34) has lost 5 straight games and is 11th in the East.

BOSTON CELTICS VS PHILADELPHIA 76ERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Philadelphia 76ers +7

This game will be played at Wells Fargo Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, February 20th.

WHY BET THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 140-138 in favor of the 76ers.
• Our projections have Joel Embiid finishing with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
• From the field, we have the 76ers finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.4% and knocking down 15 threes.

Can Boston Deliver Being Favored on the Road?

The Celtics improved to 39-16 with a 116-103 win over the Spurs on Wednesday. Boston, favored by 8 points, covered the spread with the 13-point victory. The game’s total score of 219 points fell short of the 232-point over/under line.

A key 10-0 run early in the game helped the Celtics build a 29-15 lead. They dominated the 1st quarter, outscoring the Spurs 37-19. San Antonio made a push in the 3rd quarter, but Boston held them off in the 4th, winning the final period 23-22.

Jayson Tatum’s 32-point, 14-rebound performance led the Celtics to a win over the Spurs, with 14 of his points coming in the 1st quarter. Kristaps Porzingis added 29 points, scoring 9 in the 2nd quarter and another 7 in the 4th. Derrick White contributed 19 points, with 8 in the opening period.

Boston connected on 18 threes, shooting 32.7% from deep and 46.2% overall. Tatum hit 4 threes despite shooting 28.6% from beyond the arc, while Porzingis was 3-for-4 from three, hitting 75% of his attempts.

The Celtics’ defense held the Spurs to 103 points on Wednesday, including a strong 1st quarter where they allowed just 19 points. They gave up 34 points in the 3rd but tightened up in the 4th, allowing only 22 points to secure the win.

Boston limited San Antonio to 23% shooting from three, with the Spurs making just 9 threes. The Celtics also sent the Spurs to the line 12 times, where they hit 10 free throws. Defensively, Boston recorded 41 defensive rebounds, gave up 9 offensive boards, and added 5 blocks.

Can the 76ers Secure a Win at Home?

The 76ers fell to 20-34 on the season after a 100-96 road loss to the Nets on Wednesday. Philadelphia, who entered the game as +1.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 196 points was well below the pre-game O/U line of 209.

Philadelphia trailed 76-66 going into the 4th quarter but made a push, outscoring the Nets 30-24 in the final period. However, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

In their 96-100 loss to the Nets, the 76ers struggled offensively, shooting 43.2% from the field and hitting just 8 threes at a 24.2% clip. Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre each scored 30 points, with Grimes adding 9 rebounds and 4 assists.

Oubre shot 62.5% from the field, while Grimes connected on 4 threes at 44.4%. Both players delivered in the 4th quarter, with Oubre scoring 14 points and Grimes adding 12.

Despite giving up 29 points in the 1st quarter, the 76ers tightened up defensively, allowing just 24 points in the 2nd and 4th quarters and 23 in the 3rd. They held the Nets to 100 points but still came up short in a 100-96 loss.

Philadelphia’s defense excelled at limiting Brooklyn’s three-point shooting, holding them to just 8 made threes on 26% shooting. The 76ers also sent the Nets to the free-throw line 15 times, where they made 12. Philadelphia recorded 10 steals and 9 blocks in the game.