Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Game 2 Prediction and Odds: 2023 NBA Playoffs

There have been many surprises in these 2023 NBA playoffs, but James Harden scoring 45 points in Boston to help the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Celtics in Game 1 was a stunner. The only thing crazier would be if he does it again as the 76ers look to take a 2-0 lead, possibly without the services of MVP Joel Embiid again.

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These odds from William Hill were correct at the time of writing.

Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers – Game Predictions

In Game 2, the 76ers are once again a 10-point underdog. The total is set to 216.5 points after Game 1 ended 119-115.

Prediction 1: Philadelphia 76ers to Cover the Spread (+10)

In 18 games without Joel Embiid this season, the 76ers are 13-5 and have only lost by more than 10 points once. The Celtics were No. 2 in Defensive Rating in the regular season, but they rank No. 12 in the playoffs. Boston has allowed at least 119 points in five straight playoff games, which is one game shy of tying the NBA record held by the 1966 Lakers. There are plenty of reasons to think the 76ers will regress and not get 12 made 3s from James Harden and De’Anthony Melton again, and they will have more than 6 turnovers. But it’s also not realistic to think Boston is going to shoot 58.7% from the field again like in Game 1. Boston does not look credible enough on defense right now to win by double-digits against a quality Philadelphia team. Boston may very well win but take the 76ers to cover.

Prediction 2: Jayson Tatum Over 4.5 Assists

In Game 1, Tatum’s teammates were 5-of-9 on his potential assists. He passed the ball 23 more times than the next closest teammate. He also had 3 secondary assists, which means a player he passed to made an extra pass to set up a teammate for a made basket. After scoring 39 points in Game 1, look for Tatum to set his teammates up more for baskets to get over 4.5 assists for the sixth time in his last seven playoff games. He has also gone over 4.5 assists in 4-of-5 games against the 76ers this year.

Celtics vs 76ers Preview – Harden’s Encore?

James Harden picked a great time for his first 40-point game of the season as well as tying his playoff career high with 7 made threes. He will draw a lot of attention on Wednesday night, but he does not have to be the superstar again to get a win. The 76ers can get more from Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris too. Maxey was 2-of-9 from 3-point territory in Game 1.

Boston Celtics News, Injuries, and Starting Lineups

The Celtics are not doing terribly in health, but Marcus Smart was shaken up with a chest contusion late in Game 1. He was able to finish the game, but his defense and playmaking are very important to this team’s success.

Boston Celtics Injury Report:

Marcus Smart (chest) is questionable
Danilo Gallinari (knee) is out

Boston Celtics Starting Lineup:

Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Al Horford.

Philadelphia 76ers News, Injuries, and Starting Lineups

Embiid is listed as doubtful, but NBA teams can often wait until an hour or two before tip-off to officially make their designation. This year, the 76ers are +10.1 in Net Rating in the regular season and +9.2 in the playoffs with Embiid on the court. They are still 13-5 in games he misses entirely this season. The 76ers are 26-3 when they are at least plus-3 in turnovers in a game, and they were plus-10 in Game 1, tied for their second-best game of the season.