Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards Betting Pick & Prediction 12/15/24

At 6:00 ET, the Washington Wizards (3-20) will host the Boston Celtics (20-5) in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Celtics are currently favored by 16 points and have a moneyline of -1425. The over/under line is set at 229.5.

This game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington and can be seen on NBCS.

BOSTON CELTICS VS WASHINGTON WIZARDS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Boston Celtics -16

This game will be played at Capital One Arena at 6:00 ET on Sunday, December 15th.

WHY BET THE BOSTON CELTICS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 133-94 in favor of the Celtics.
• Our projections have Jayson Tatum finishing with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
• From the field, we have the Celtics finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.0% and knocking down 18 threes.

Will the Celtics Make it Happen on the Road?

The Celtics improved to 20-5 this season with a 123-99 win over the Pistons on Thursday. Boston, heavily favored at -11.5, covered the spread, while the game’s total points of 222 fell just short of the 224.5 O/U line.

Boston took control early, leading 27-16 after the 1st quarter. A 10-0 run pushed their lead from 38-33 to 48-33, and they extended their advantage to 93-68 by the end of the 3rd quarter. Although the Pistons outscored the Celtics 31-30 in the 4th, Boston’s lead was never in doubt.

In their win over the Pistons, the Celtics shot 51.1% from the field and made 20 three-pointers at a 41.7% clip. Payton Pritchard and Derrick White each hit 7 threes, with Pritchard finishing with 27 points and 10 assists, and White adding 23 points.

Pritchard scored 11 points in the 2nd quarter and 10 more in the 4th, while Jaylen Brown also added 10 points in the final period. Kristaps Porzingis contributed 19 points, and Jrue Holiday and Luke Kornet each chipped in 12.

The Celtics put on a defensive clinic against the Pistons, holding them to just 99 points. Boston was particularly strong in the 1st quarter, allowing only 16 points. They gave up 28 points in the 2nd, 24 in the 3rd, and 31 in the 4th.

Boston limited Detroit to 42% shooting from the field and just 18% from three-point range, with the Pistons hitting only 7 threes. The Celtics sent Detroit to the line 10 times, where they made 8 free throws. Boston also grabbed 43 defensive rebounds, allowed 9 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals and 4 blocks.

Will the Wizards Win at Capital One Arena?

Washington fell to 3-20 on the season after a 115-105 road loss to the Cavaliers on Friday. The Wizards entered the game as +16.5 point underdogs and managed to keep the game closer than expected. The total score of 220 points fell short of the 232.5-point over/under line.

A 15-0 run by Cleveland, which took the score from 25-18 to 33-25, was a turning point. Washington trailed 87-80 going into the 4th quarter but couldn’t close the gap, as the Cavaliers outscored them 28-25 in the final period.

Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 27 points, hitting 5 threes at a 62.5% clip in their 115-105 loss to the Cavaliers. He also added 6 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting 55.6% from the field. Jordan Poole contributed 17 points, despite shooting just 25% from deep, while Justin Champagnie chipped in 16 points and 8 rebounds.

As a team, the Wizards made 14 threes, shooting 35% from beyond the arc and 47.7% overall. Coulibaly scored 9 points in the 3rd quarter and added 8 more in the 4th, while Champagnie also put up 9 points in the final period.

Despite holding the Cavaliers to 39% shooting, the Wizards gave up 115 points in their loss on Friday. Washington’s defense struggled in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, allowing 32 and 30 points, respectively. They also sent Cleveland to the free-throw line 40 times, where the Cavaliers converted 28 attempts.

The Wizards did a solid job defending the three, with Cleveland hitting 30% from deep, making 15 threes. Washington finished with 7 steals and 7 blocks but allowed 16 offensive rebounds.