Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics Game 1 Betting Preview/Prop Picks

The NBA playoffs are in full swing and one of the most anticipated series will begin tonight. The Brooklyn Nets, led by Kevin Durant, head to Boston to face the Celtics. Surprisingly enough, the Nets don’t come into this game as the favorites. In fact, they’re four-point underdogs although most of the team is healthy. So, can they cover the spread and start it off with a win tonight?

The Boston Celtics are ready to get this series going, but they’ll be without a key player. With Robert Williams III sidelined, the interior will be slightly weaker. The good news is, that’s the only injury the Celtics have to worry about. Although four points might not seem like a lot, we have to remember it’s the playoffs. Let’s go over both teams and see who has the best chance to cover.

Brooklyn Nets: History Against Boston is Troublesome

The Brooklyn Nets have one of the best duos in the NBA. However, their 1-3 record against the Celtics this season is rather shocking. To be fair, in a few of those games, they were without Kyrie Irving. Still, the last time they beat the Celtics was in November of 2021. They’ve played them three times since then and lost all three. So, what does that mean for tonight’s game?

Most of the time, people believe the playoffs wipe the slate clean. However, based on trends, it makes sense that the Nets are underdogs. Brooklyn’s defense ranks 18th in the NBA, allowing 112.07 points per game. When you compare that to Boston, you can see where the differences are. Boston ranks first in the NBA in points allowed, with opponents averaging 104.48 per game.

Boston Celtics: Celtics Need Fast Start

The Brooklyn Nets have the ninth-best scoring offense in the NBA, averaging 112.93 points per game. With an offense this efficient, the Celtics need to get a fast start against Brooklyn tonight. The main matchup to watch here is Jayson Tatum versus Kevin Durant. Tatum is the Celtics leading scorer, averaging 26.9 points per game. However, he’s been guarded by Kevin Durant.

This might not have been a problem during the regular season, but it’s the playoffs now. Tatum will face some tough opposition tonight and will need to distribute the ball well. He’ll take a lot of the Nets attention off of his teammates, such as Jaylen Brown. Both Brown and Marcus Smart are great shooters from beyond the arc. To win this game, the Celtics need to play as a team.

Nets at Celtics Betting Pick

The Celtics clearly have an edge on the Nets in terms of performance through the season. Boston also has a strong supporting cast that can get the offense going early. Brooklyn’s main problem will likely be the reason why they lose this game, defense. In their last nine games, the Nets are 2-7 against the spread. So, in Game 1, we’re going to take the Boston Celtics. 

The Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last five games and have a 28-13 record at home. With their defense, we think the Celtics will win this game and cover the spread. We’d recommend taking the over in this game, as the total has gone over in 10 of Boston's last 12 games.

Dunkel Index Free Pick: Boston Celtics -4, OVER

Prop Picks

Boston (-115) OVER 114.5 Points

Brooklyn is allowing 112.1 points per game on defense, which ranks No. 18 in the league. Scores have gone OVER in each of the Nets’ last four road games versus Boston.

With Dunkel predicting a Boston victory by the score of 121-113, take the Celtics (-120) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 114.5 points against the Nets.

Jayson Tatum (-135) OVER 29.5 Points

Tatum is averaging 26.9 points per game, which ranks No. 1 on the Celtics and No. 7 in the league. That average increases to 27.4 points per game in his last 10 games and 29.5 points per game in four contests versus Brooklyn this season.

With Dunkel predicting a Celtics victory while going OVER their Vegas team total, take Tatum (-135) to finish OVER his Vegas total of 29.5 points against the Nets.

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