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The Boston Celtics (3-0) and Philadelphia 76ers (1-2) will square off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The 76ers are 6.5-point favorites on the spread (76ers -6.5), with the over/under set at 223.5 total points. The 76ers are -230 moneyline favorites to win outright, while the Celtics are listed as +190 underdogs to pull off the upset.
Let's get into our Celtics vs. 76ers predictions and NBA preseason picks for Friday, October 16.
Celtics vs 76ers Prediction
- Celtics vs 76ers pick: Celtics +6.5 (-112)
Our Celtics vs 76ers best bet is on Boston to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
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Celtics vs 76ers Odds
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -112 | 223.5 -112o / -108u | +190 |
| 76ers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -108 | 223.5 -112o / -108u | -230 |
- Celtics vs 76ers spread: Celtics +6.5 (-112), 76ers -6.5 (-108)
- Celtics vs 76ers over/under: 223.5 (-112o / -108u)
- Celtics vs 76ers moneyline: Celtics +190, 76ers -230
Celtics vs 76ers NBA Preview
Despite meeting last Saturday, this will be a completely different, much more exciting matchup between Boston and Philly, as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are set to play for the Sixers after missing the last one.
Brown will face his former team for the first time, and LeBron will finally share the floor with the rest of the starters, at least early in the game, with Joel Embiid also expected to play. Philly will be close to full strength, missing only the injured Adem Bona and Anfernee Simons.
The Celtics are unbeaten in three preseason games, with Jayson Tatum already looking sharp. The team's depth is one of its biggest strengths.
Bona and Simons, though they will not play on Friday, are making great progress and should return early in the season.
For this preseason finale, Bet Labs has a clear pick thanks to its "Road Dog" preseason model.
Celtics vs 76ers Pick, Betting Analysis
NBA preseason road underdogs can offer value because the betting market may overvalue home-court advantage and perceived roster strength in exhibition games.
The Celtics' spread is at +6.5 points and is our recommendation for tonight.
With coaches experimenting with rotations and prioritizing evaluation over winning, the gap between teams can be less meaningful than during the regular season.
This system backs visiting underdogs when the betting line has held steady or moved in their direction from the opener, looking for situations where the market is showing resistance to the home favorite despite the natural tendency to favor the home team.
Last Saturday, the Celtics beat the Sixers 144-107, and even with a full set of starters for Philly tonight on the floor, the depth and quality of Boston's roster should keep this a close contest.
Let's back the visitors to cover in this preseason finale.
Pick: Celtics +6.5 (-112, DraftKings)
