A potential NBA Finals preview is on the cards as the Boston Celtics travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Boston, sitting second in the Eastern Conference with a 43-22 record, are looking to bounce back after a 125-116 defeat to San Antonio. Meanwhile, OKC boasts the league’s best record at 51-15 and are riding high on a six-game winning streak, most recently defeating Denver 129-126.
Injury Concerns for Both Sides
Both teams are dealing with injury concerns heading into the match. Boston will be without Jayson Tatum (Achilles), and Derrick White (knee) is questionable. Oklahoma City will be without Jalen Williams (hamstring).
Betting Odds and Predictions
Oklahoma City are favoured by 7.5 points for the game. The over/under for total points scored is set at 216.5. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
The SportsLine Projection Model has simulated the game 10,000 times. It’s going Over on the total (216.5).
- The model is on a 42-19 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season.
- Across their last nine meetings, the Over is 8-1.
- Six of their last seven matchups have seen at least 230 combined points.
The model also says one side of the spread hits over 60% of the time in an A-rated pick.
Offensive Firepower Expected
Both squads rank in the top five in offensive rating thanks to elite efficiency. These two teams commit the fewest turnover per game as most possessions end with shot attempts rather than turnovers. Each team is projected to allow at least 4 more points than its season average due to the caliber of the opponents they’re facing.
The simulations project the teams to combine for 225 points, with the Over reached 60% of the time.
Last Season’s Results
This marks the first encounter between the two teams this season. The Thunder swept last year’s series.
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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons.
The total has been very much one-sided in recent matchups between these two teams.
The latest Thunder vs. Celtics odds from DraftKings Sportsbook have OKC as 7.5-point favorites. Thunder vs. Celtics money line information is available.
The model projects that each team is projected to allow at least 4 more points than its season average due to the caliber of the opponents they’re facing.