- The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics matchup on Thursday, February 23rd
- There’s uncertainty over the availability of Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons, while Kyrie Irving is unavailable
- Read below for the latest Nets vs Celtics odds and our betting preview
The standout game as the NBA resumes after the All-Star break sees the Brooklyn Nets host the Boston Celtics. Brooklyn went 2-12 before the midseason hiatus but will hope their season can be turned around following the James Harden for Ben Simmons trade. Boston, meanwhile, owns the best net rating in the Association this month, and is on an 18-7 run.
The Celtics are favored by around 4.5 points for this game at Barclays Center. They have covered the spread in 16 of 29 away from home this season, while the Nets have the worst against the spread record in the league in front of their own fans, covering just six times in 28 games.
These teams last met on February 8th, a game Boston won comfortably. Steve Nash had a starting five of Bruce Brown, Patty Mills, DeAndre’ Bembry, Blake Griffin and Kessler Edwards for that contest, however, and none of the quintet scored more than six points. It will be a very different Nets team on Thursday night.
Nets vs Celtics Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | +4.5 (-110) | +166 | TBA |
| Boston Celtics | -4.5 (-110) | -198 | TBA |
Odds as of Feb 23 at FanDuel
Team News
There has been speculation that both Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons could play in this game. It’s likely that Simmons makes his debut when Durant returns, easing the former Sixer into life as a Net. Speaking on Tuesday, Sean Marks said he didn’t expect the duo to play in the next three or four days, yet he didn’t fully rule them out of Thursday’s game either.
Despite increasing speculation that New York could change its vaccine rules, Kyrie Irving is still ineligible for this game. Buyout acquisition Goran Dragic is listed as day-to-day, though it seems unlikely he will be available having not played in an NBA game since November, 13th. James Johnson is also day-to-day on the latest Nets injury report.
Sean Marks said he saw Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons do their specific ramp-ups earlier today. The GM said it’s “tough to see them playing in the next 3-4 days” but noted both are progressing well.
— Chris Milholen (@CMilholenSB) February 22, 2022
Boston has Marcus Smart and Robert Williams listed as day-to-day with ankle and calf issues respectively. Both were doubtful and sat out the loss to the Pistons before the break, but there’s some optimism they will be available for this one. The Celtics’ bench becomes a concern if both Smart and Williams are unavailable — much of their surge has been down to Ime Udoka shortening his rotation.
Boston’s Two-Way Prowess
The Celtics have had the personnel to be an elite defensive team all year. They have finally put it together, posting a 98.5 defensive rating over the last 15 games. That’s 8.1 points better than anyone else.
On the other end, Boston has exhibited improvement too. While ninth in offensive rating across the last 15, there is a marked change to the flow of the offense, enhanced by the arrival of Derrick White. They were 25th in assist rate in December, but are up in eighth over the last 10 games. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have improved as playmakers, and White’s ball movement has invigorated an offense that was often stale in the opening months of the season.
The contrast with Brooklyn is stark. With no Durant or Simmons, they are drastically short on defensive talent, and only three teams have a worse defensive rating over the last 10. Nash is very limited when it comes to guarding Brown and Tatum given a lack of size on the roster.
While the Nets got some good production from Seth Curry, Cam Thomas and Patty Mills before the break, the offense is still down in 22nd across the last five.
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Back the Cs
Boston has been dominant as an away favorite this year, owning a 10-4 record against the spread. The injuries to Williams and Smart weaken them slightly, but they are still operating at a considerable talent advantage against a Nets team expected to be without Durant, Irving and Simmons.
All of the Celtics’ wins since January, 15th have been by six or more points. Their 16.6 net rating over the last 15 leads the league by a considerable distance. This should be an easy cover.
Pick: Celtics -4.5 (-110)
The post Nets vs Celtics Odds, Spread & Picks appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.
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