Clippers vs. Celtics Odds, Picks, Predictions: Can Boston Stay Hot at Home?
The Boston Celtics look for a fourth straight victory on Thursday, but the visiting Los Angeles Clippers will try to steal one on the road with a fully healthy roster. Check out our top Clippers-Celtics NBA pick based on the latest odds.
After losing three straight at home, the Celtics have bounced back masterfully by reeling off three consecutive victories. Over the recent win streak, Boston has beaten opponents by an average of 19 points per contest. Jayson Tatum has averaged 36.3 points in that span, while Jaylen Brown has averaged 34.7. The dynamic duo have kept things rolling on offense while Al Horford and Robert Williams have anchored the frontcourt defense.
Health is the topic constantly at the forefront of Clippers’ discussions, but the team is fully healthy heading into TD Garden. Kawhi Leonard has missed just two of the team’s last nine games. Los Angeles is 0-2 in the games he’s missed and 7-0 with him in the lineup over that span. The Clippers allow the third-fewest points to opponents, and the team will need to lock down Boston’s electric offensive attack to keep this one competitive.
Here is our best Clippers vs. Celtics NBA pick (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
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Clippers vs. Celtics Game Info
Date: Thursday, Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBA TV
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Clippers vs. Celtics Odds
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Clippers vs. Celtics Odds Analysis
The Celtics opened at -6, and the spread has shifted up half a point. Bettors have laid 75% of the cash and 53% of the tickets on Boston to cover, and the Celtics are 12-7 as the home favorite this season. The trends are in Boston’s favor, as the team is 8-4 against Western Conference opponents and 15-9 following a win. The Clippers are a respectable 4-3 as the road underdog, 9-5 against Eastern Conference opponents and 11-9 following a win. Los Angeles has covered in eight of its last 10 games, and there’s value to be had in betting the Clippers +6. The Moneyline for Boston ranges from -240 to -255 at most major books, but you can find spread odds on Los Angeles for as long as -105 at FanDuel. The Celtics may win this one, but Los Angeles should keep it close enough to cover the 6.5-point spread.
The total has moved half a point to a point at most major books after opening at 227. Bettors are expecting a high-scoring game, with 75% of tickets and 95% of cash on the Over. The Celtics are 13-5-1 at home but just 5-7 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 6-1 as the road dog, 9-5 against Eastern Conference opponents, and 4-0 over its last four outings. The Clippers’ formidable defense faces one of the league’s best offenses, and a fully healthy Clippers’ offense should be able to score some points against a Boston team allowing the 12th most points per game at home this season. Taking the Over is a good bet, and you can find standard -110 at most major books.
Clippers vs. Celtics Pick
Kawhi Leonard Over 21.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The last time I wrote up a Clippers’ game preview, I targeted Kawhi’s points, which were then set far too low at just 18.5. That number has come up by only a basket, so we’ll go back to the well for a player who has shaken nearly all the rust off and looks closer to his pre-injury self than ever before.
As mentioned above, Boston’s defense isn’t elite, and the team surrenders 113.1 points per game at home. Leonard has averaged 21 points per game across his last seven appearances (all wins), while scoring at least 22 points in three of them. He dropped 25 on Boston when the teams met back in Los Angeles on December 12, and he’ll need to have another solid game to steal this one on the road. Over his last four matchups with Boston dating back to 2019, Leonard has averaged 24.5 points and scored at least 22 in three of four.
Clippers vs. Celtics Best Odds
FanDuel (-106)
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
| 20.5 | 21.5 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 21.5 |
| -130 | -106 | -115 | -125 | -115 |
Three of our featured books offer this prop at 20.5 points, and the odds range from -115 to -130. We can do better by selling a single point and moving that line to 21.5, where we can get odds of -106 at FanDuel. If you’re squeamish about that one point, BetMGM offers the prop at 20.5 with odds as favorable as PointsBet’s -115.
Clippers-Celtics pick made 12/29/2022 at 12:05 p.m. ET.
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