Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics betting tips and predictions for Monday’s NBA Eastern Conference Playoff game on TNT. The Boston Celtics have an opportunity to sweep the Brooklyn Nets as the two teams face off for the 4th time in their 1st Round series. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Brooklyn Nets
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Despite quite possibly the biggest media hype around a #7 seed in the history of the NBA Playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets seem to be incapable of winning even a game against the #2 seeded Celtics. Game 3 was on their home court and yet the Celtics did exactly what they wanted, just like in the first 2 games.
Kevin Durant took just 11 shots from the floor ending the game with just 16 points. In his post game press conference he said that he was overthinking things way too much, that’s not something you want to hear from your superstar leader if you are a Nets fan.
Kyrie Irving also struggled with just 16 points and the Nets are in big trouble here. There’s a good chance we see Ben Simmons make his debut with the team, but looking at him as your savior at this point is just not realistic.
Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum didn’t have the most efficient of games as he shot 13-for-29 from the field, but he ended Friday’s game with 39 points to lead Boston to a 3-0 lead. No team has ever come back from this deficit in the NBA playoffs, so the Celtics are in a good position ahead of Monday’s potential close out game.
Jaylen Brown also contributed with 23 points, while Marcus Smart added 14 and played really good defense the entire game. Boston has now covered in 6 of their last 7 games and against the Nets they are on a 6-game win streak at the moment.
So even if they’ve covered the spread just 3 times in the last 12 games at Barclays Center, many people are picking them to wrap this series up on Monday and move on to face the winner of the Bucks vs Bulls series.
I am one of those people. I think Boston has been terrific overall and the Nets are simply not a well organized team. Steve Nash will most likely not be coaching them next season, even if they avoid getting swept here. Let’s take the Celtics to cover on the road as 2-point underdogs.
Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics Predictions & Odds
After the two teams opened the series going over the total, the last 2 games finished under with 221 and 212 points scored. Boston’s defence just seems to be too good for Kevin Durant and co. to figure them out. They have the height advantage over the Nets, plus a defensive player of the year in Marcus Smart. In Game 3 they also got Robert Williams III back from injury, he was their main anchor on defence during the regular season where they were ranked as the 2nd best defensive efficiency team.
The Nets also get Ben Simmons back for this game, he should be a defensive boost even if they limit his minutes as he slowly returns to the line-up. The total has now gone under in 8 of their last 10 games, including 7 of their last 9 vs Eastern Conference teams. In 43 games played at Barclays Center this season, they are 18-25 on the O/U, I have a feeling that streak will continue on Monday and we’ll not see that many points scored. Back the under.
