Celtics vs. 76ers 2023 NBA Playoffs Odds and Game 3 Preview – May 5th

By Jeff Stinger • May 4, 2023

Boston just gave Philadelphia a good beating after dropping Game 1 at home. The Celtics secured a comfortable 121-87 victory over the 76ers to tie the series before heading out to Philly. The hosts opened up the gap in the second half and took control until the final buzzer. This series heads out to Wells Fargo Center for a pivotal Game 2. Can the Celtics maintain the pace or will the Sixers quickly hit back and take the series lead? The margins are tight between both sides, making this Conference Semifinals a must-watch for basketball fans and avid bettors.

Nitrobetting is ready to dish out key assists and lob passes with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NBA Playoffs. We break down the upcoming playoff showdown between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Celtics vs. 76ers Game 3 2023 NBA Playoffs Second-Round Information

When: Friday, May 5, 2023, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
TV: TNT
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub (Celtics) // 97.5 The Fanatic (76ers)
Live Stream: NBA League Pass
NBA Betting Odds: Celtics (-1.5) / 76ers (+1.5)

Why Bet on the Boston Celtics?

The Celtics outplayed their opponents in almost every aspect of Game 2. Boston shot 46.7% from the field and nearly 40% from deep. They were almost perfect from the line as well at 15-16. Jaylen Brown stepped up and delivered 25 points on nine of 17 shooting and four assists. He also capitalized on his trips to the line with four of four free throws made. Star forward Jayson Tatum had a quiet Game 2 but still led the team with seven rebounds.

Boston showcased impressive ball rotation. The team had 26 assists throughout the game. Outside Brown, four other players scored double-digit figures. Derrick White and Marcus Smart had 15 points each, Malcolm Brogdon had 23 off the bench, while Grant Williams scored 12 points on top of four rebounds and four assists.

In seven postseason games, the Celtics managed to log the most points per game average at 120.3. They accomplished this through a 52.1% field goal percentage and an impressive 40.4% from the field. Furthermore, the Celts are the ninth-ranked team defensively in the playoffs. These figures stood the test of time as they bounced back from a narrow loss to the Sixers in Game 1.

Why Bet on the Philadelphia 76ers?

The Sixers have plenty of work to do following Game 2’s trashing. The Atlantic Division franchise trailed by as much as 36 points despite having Embiid back on the floor. He closed his night with only 15 points and three boards in 27 minutes. No other player had more than 20 points for the 76ers. Tobias Harris was the leading scorer with 16 points and seven rebounds, while last game’s standout guard James Harden had only 12 points, ten boards, and four assists.

Philly struggled to shoot the ball from deep. They hit only six of their 30 three-point attempts and ended the night shooting 31 of 79 from the field. The team did have productive numbers from the free-throw line at 82.6%. Since the 2023 postseason opener, the 76ers averaged 106.8 points per game on 46.2% from the field. They have one of the finest three-point shooting records this season at 41.5%.

The upcoming hosts are a known defensive team. They plot slightly better figures than Boston on paper with a 111.0 defensive rating. If they want to yield closer results in Game 3, the rest of the lineup has some ground to cover on offense and defense. Following a poor shooting night, head coach Doc Rivers and the rest of the team need to ramp things up to avoid falling into the hands of the Celtics for a second-straight time.

Celtics vs. 76ers Betting Trends

The 76ers won four of its last five playoff home games (4-1 ATS).
The 76ers are 3-2 in the last five meetings versus the Celtics (2-3 ATS).
The totals went under in three of the Sixers’ last five home postseason games.
The Celtics are 2-3 in the last five road playoff games (2-3 ATS).
Boston won four of its last five home games versus Philly (4-1 ATS).
The totals went over in three of Boston’s last three road playoff games.

Celtics vs. 76ers Game 3 Expert Betting Predictions

Now that both sides are virtually healthy, there’s no reason for them not to deliver. Embiid started slow since returning from a knee sprain, while the Celtics already have Marcus Smart out of the doubtful list. Boston did a great job of bouncing back in Game 2 thanks to a functioning bench squad. The narrative could change once the series heads out to Philly. We might see an energized 76ers crew trying to break the deadlock with a victory. The odds remain tighter than ever. Either team could take this one. Boston can easily cover the spread if they take Game 3. However, the Sixers are ready to hit back after the blowout defeat at TD Garden.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2022-23 NBA season previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online BTC sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.