Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors: Big game for the Celtics

NBA betting has become only trickier in the COVID-19 climate which changes the lineups overnight. A lot of players are in health & safety protocols and to be honest, the season has become grim like the previous one. Still, it is also a chance for deep reserves and new signees to show why they made it to the pros. In this game, the Boston Celtics host the Golden State Warriors in a cross-conference battle. The Celtics have won 14 games and lost the same amount of games while the Warriors have a dominant 22 wins and five losses. Can Celtics spark something special by beating a formidable Warriors squad? To get a hold of the overview, head over to “Notes”. For discussion on “Total”, visit the “Expert Betting Tips” section.

Celtics will have to dig in

Warriors’ versatility: While Golden State’s scoring range has decreased from 111-123 points to 92-105 points recently, the team has still fielded a tough late-game scoring squad. The Warriors will pose challenges to defenses no matter what the scoring range is. My argument is that Warriors can play both fast-paced and slow-paced, while fast-paced means more number of shots, slow paced means lesser number of shots. The Warriors have scorers who can come through in both scenarios and often you slow down the pace to conserve energy to sustain yourself in the 82-game season. Thus, whether they play slow or fast, one other quality of this team is that they can suck you into their own pace. Clever, clever team.

Warriors’ defense: Often the bigger headache to deal with is the Warriors defense. The team plays physical and can slow the opponent’s offense down. The team has not allowed more than 114 points so far which is a big feat while since mid-November, the scoring range of the opponents have usually been 96-105. What is the key? With Wiggins, Green, and Looney you have a switch-heavy defense that can cover the paint and perimeter. Curry and Poole can fight through screens and make life tough for the opposing guards. Now, when the bench arrives, you have the length of Iguodala and Otto Porter, so the defense is rarely compromised. Warriors are at the top of the table in various defensive metrics and for me, that is what makes them favorites for the title.

What Celtics will need here: One thing is clear, someone apart from Tatum will have to take control of the game because you can’t beat a Warriors team on lone efforts. Brown, Smart, Schroeder, Horford, and Robert Williams will have to bring their A-level game or it could be one of those games where you can get behind 10-15 points. A win against the Milwaukee Bucks would have bolstered the confidence but the Warriors team is much more disciplined on the defensive end. Celtics need to make sure that they formulate their own pace and don’t get swallowed into Warriors’ pace. Celtics have the personnel, they have the athleticism, they have a lot of tools, they just haven’t come through this season and if there is time to turn around the season, a win against Golden State can do wonders for their confidence.

Notes

Here are the quick hitters related to the game:

• Warriors have scored 105, 102, 93, 104, 126 in the last five games;
• Celtics have allowed 96, 100, 102, 94, 95 in the last five games;
• Celtics have scored 117, 90, 111, 102, 145 in the last five games;
• Celtics have allowed 103, 111, 114, 117, 117 in the last five games;
• Celtics have won seven games and lost four games at home;
• Warriors have won nine and lost three games away from home;
• Jayson Tatum has scored in the 24-34 points range with a few 35+ points too;
• Jaylen Brown returned from his injury to drop 19 points versus the Bucks in the last game;
• Draymond Green has grabbed nine or more rebounds in three of the last four games;
• Andrew Wiggins usually scores in the 15-19 points range;
• James Wiseman and Klay Thompson remain out for the Warriors. Klay may not make his return this month;
• For the Celtics, Romeo Langford is questionable for this game;
• Do go through the injury list before placing your bets.

Expert Betting tips

Points Range: Warriors have scored in the 92-104 points range usually this month but that can change sooner than later because of the explosiveness in the scoring department. The team has rested for a couple of days so they may breach the 104 points mark in this game. On the other hand, the Celtics have scored in the 110-117 points range recently but trust me, it will be tough to achieve against the pesky Warriors. I believe this can be a game that figures around 211-221 points range.

Prediction: Ah, not easy as it looks but yes, Warriors are the favorites to win in the 90% of games. But this is the NBA we are talking about, trends can turn to dust quickly. Still, with a better team chemistry and better defensive output, the Warriors certainly hold the edge over the wayward Celtics. I picked the Warriors to win this one with a scoring line of 109:98.

Betting Options

• Total 2 Over 108.5 for 1.91;
• Player Props: Player Points: Jayson Tatum Under 27.5 for 1.90;
• Point Spread: Golden State Warriors -2.5 for 1.85.