NBA Odds and Picks (Sunday, August 2): Betting Predictions for Trail Blazers vs. Celtics

NBA Odds and Picks (Sunday, August 2): Betting Predictions for Trail Blazers vs. Celtics article feature image
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Getty Images. Pictured (L-R): CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers, Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.

  • Betting odds for Sunday's Trail Blazers vs. Celtics game have the Celtics favored by 4.5 points with an over/under of 230.5.
  • The Celtics are pretty solidified into a top-four spot in the East, while the Blazers will need to put together some wins to clinch a playoff spot.
  • Check out our full betting preview below, including analysis for both team and a pick on the spread.

Trail Blazers vs. Celtics Betting Odds

Trail Blazers odds+4.5 [BET NOW]
Celtics odds-4.5 [BET NOW]
Moneyline+150/-180 [BET NOW]
Over/Under230.5 [BET NOW]
Time3:30 p.m. ET
TVABC

Odds via PointsBet, where you can get $250 FREE instantly after signing up AND your bets automatically sync to the Action app.Learn more about BetSync here.


The Portland Trail Blazers will look to ride the momentum of their big comeback victory against the Memphis Grizzlies against the Boston Celtics, who need to find a rhythm in the bubble.

The Blazers really benefited from the additions of Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic to solidify their low-post presence as they make their run towards the playoffs.

Boston, on the other hand, has never really had the low-post presence all season and has been heavily reliant on its backcourt and wing depth to sustain its high level of play before the stoppage.

Motivation could be a factor here: The Celtics are much more solidified in their status as one of the top-four seeds in the East, while the Blazers need every win they can get to make the playoffs.

Boston opened as a 4.5-point favorite, but is that right? Let's break it down.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers have relied so heavily on their starting guards for so much of the season that it would have been very easy for them to continue that style of play in the bubble.

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum showed their experience as veteran guards in this league, though, and allowed the flow of the contest to come to them. Lillard had 29 points but more importantly dished out nine assists as he made a concerted effort to get his teammates involved.

Nurkic was the beneficiary on multiple of Lillard's assists and provided the scoring punch that the Blazers needed by pouring in 18 points on just 11 shots. He was able optimize his efficiency by getting to the free throw line for eight free points.

Portland was perceived to be weak coming into this restart because of its lack of depth on the wing, but the combination of Carmelo Anthony and Gary Trent Jr. proved just fine in the first game.

Trent was solid on the offensive end, scoring 17 points on just eight shots, but his real impact came defensively by applying consistent on-ball pressure. If Portland can continue to supplement its backcourt production (and now solid frontcourt play) with a combination of Carmelo's isolation scoring punch and Trent's defensive presence, the Blazers are in good shape to take on an uncertain Celtics team.

Boston Celtics

Early on, the Celtics are predictably the public favorite, getting the majority of bets as of late Saturday night. They certainly have the better team in a vacuum, but bubble circumstances might cause them to be overvalued.

For instance, Kemba Walker was limited to just 16 minutes as he ramps up, which definitely limits Boston's scoring punch against a potent Blazers team that has no problems putting up points.

The Celtics have an array of lineup decisions to make, but their roster is surprisingly more top-heavy then they expected heading into the postseason; they may be too reliant on the production of their young stars.

Jayson Tatum had a career-low five points in the first game, which continued poor play even during scrimmages in Orlando. He'll look to rebound in this one, but he's definitely a guy to keep an eye on. If he's not right, that drastically reduces the floor for the Celtics in this one and the ceiling for them long-term.

Where Boston could really get hurt in this matchup is down low. Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter are solid big men, but they'll have their hands full against a suddenly bigger, stronger Portland frontcourt.

Betting Analysis & Pick

I like the Blazers to cover the 4.5-point spread against a Celtics team that still has some things to work out in the bubble.

The Celtics are one of the best teams in the league against the spread this year at 38-24, but this isn't that team and their opponent has too many glaring advantages down low to cover such a large spread.

The PICK: Blazers +4.5

[Bet $20+ on the Blazers at PointsBet and Win $125 if they make at least one 3-pointer]

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Rick Rockwell
Mar 27, 2024 UTC