Staying competitive in tonight’s game at Boston will be a challenge for the Philadelphia 76ers who are going into this game as 12.5 point underdogs. Over the weekend they split their two games against the Cavaliers and Bucks, playing on a back-to-back scenario. The team really struggled in Sunday’s loss to Milwaukee, scoring just 98 points in a 21-point loss. The effect of Joel Embiid’s absence on this team has been well documented, we still don’t have a timetable set for his return as we head into March. Philadelphia is clinging to the 5th seed, but with Miami, Indiana and Orlando all within 1.5 games behind them, things can go bad real fast if this team goes on another one of those losing streaks. In their last 10 games they’ve got just 3 wins, against the Celtics they’ve won just 5 times in their last 19 visits to TD Garden.
Boston is doing exactly what we’re expecting them to do. Post All-Star break they’re 2-0 SU already, with double digit wins over New York and Chicago, both on the road. This will be their first game playing home since the break, they’re the most dominant home team in the entire NBA with a 26-3 SU record. They’ve beaten Philly twice in the 3 meetings this season, however all 3 of those games were decided by 10 or less points. There are no injuries to report for the Celtics, moving forward their main focus will be to keep things that way, it seems like the number 1 seed in the East is pretty much secured with a 7.5 game edge over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks.
