The Boston Celtics (27-16) and Brooklyn Nets (12-30) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The game will broadcast live on YES.
The Celtics are 8.5-point favorites over the Nets on the spread (Celtics -8.5), with the over/under set at 216.5 total points. Boston is a -380 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Brooklyn is +300 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Celtics vs. Nets predictions and NBA picks for Friday, January 23.
Celtics vs Nets Prediction
- Celtics vs Nets pick: Drake Powell Over 6.5 Points (-130)
My Nets vs Celtics best bet is on Drake Powell over 6.5 points, with the best price currently available at DraftKings, but make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Celtics vs Nets Odds
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -112 | 216.5 -110o / -110u | -380 |
| Nets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -108 | 216.5 -110o / -110u | +300 |
Celtics vs Nets NBA Preview
I'm going with Over 6.5 points for Drake Powell of the Brooklyn Nets.
Powell was one of the five Nets' first-round picks, and he was actually the last one. He played at North Carolina, projecting to be a "3-and-D" guy, and he's one of those who you know what his role is going to be.
So, I really like this pick, not so much in terms of the quality of the player, but in terms of knowing what I'm getting out of him.
Evidently, head coach Jordi Fernandez also feels that way because Powell has started five games in a row in a mostly healthy Nets lineup.
Brooklyn is tanking, obviously. They're starting to lose a bunch of games, but they're still competitive in some of these.
We'll see what happens against the Celtics, but Boston gives up the most threes per 100 possessions in the NBA at 41.
Drake Powell isn't shooting well from three yet, but again, he's a better shooter than he's shown so far this year. He should be able to get some looks in this game.
Celtics vs Nets Prediction, Betting Analysis
Powell is Over 6.5 points in three of his last five games. He should get better looks from three-point range in this game, and it's a really low number.
Powell is getting starter minutes, usually 25 a game.
I can go even more nerdy here. The Nets like him as a point of attack defender. They like him to be able to get out, spray some threes and just play complementary basketball.
I don't expect him to go way over this, but I do like him given the volume, the opportunity and the shooting. He's due for some positive regression because he can actually shoot.
Pick: Drake Powell Over 6.5 Points (-130, DraftKings)
Nets vs Celtics Betting Trends
