Celtics favored to beat 76ers in first meeting since Brown trade
SportsLine model projects Boston to win on the road by 1.5 points, while also picking Illinois over Texas Tech and the Commanders over the Giants.
By Sarah Reynolds ·
The Boston Celtics are projected to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in their first matchup since Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia. The SportsLine Projection Model favors the Celtics by 1.5 points on the road. This contest features a high profile roster including LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jayson Tatum, and Paul George.
The Celtics enter Tuesday night's game with an 8-2 record and a 2-0 start on their current four-game road trip. The team possesses the fourth-ranked scoring defense in the NBA, allowing 104.3 points per game. They also hold opponents to a 42.3 field goal percentage, a mark that ranks second in the league. The model simulates this specific game 10,000 times and predicts a Celtics victory in 60% of those scenarios.
The 76ers have started the season with a 9-2 record. However, they recently completed a difficult road trip that included one loss and two narrow victories by six points. Paul George and Jaylen Brown face each other for the first time as opponents, creating a narrative element for the game.
In college basketball, No. 3 Illinois faces No. 19 Texas Tech. Illinois is favored by 1.5 points. SportsLine expert Thomas Casale selected the Illini to cover the spread. Casale noted that Illinois retains four starters from last year's Final Four team. He added that Texas Tech lacks depth, relying primarily on six players while waiting for injured athletes to return.
"The Illini are my top-rated team early in the season, with four starters back from last year's Final Four squad alongside talented newcomers," Casale said. "I think Illinois is too deep and too good right now to be laying just 1.5 in this matchup."
In the NFL, the Washington Commanders play the New York Giants in Thursday Night Football. The Commanders are 1.5-point underdogs. SportsLine expert R.J. White picked Washington to cover. White pointed out that the Giants' rushing attack struggled in their previous game. He noted that Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels has not thrown an interception this season. If Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy is unavailable due to injury, Jameis Winston is expected to start.
The SportsLine model has maintained a 28-11 record on top-rated spread picks in the NBA since last season. The model has generated nearly $19,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks since 2018.
