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With zero football on this beautiful Sunday in February, we are shifting our focus to the NBA. There is a very enticing matchup on ABC between two Eastern Conference foes: the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. These two teams have been battling against one another for years, and this game should be no different.
We will recap both teams’ regular season thus far while also making a Celtics vs. 76ers pick throughout this article, so let’s jump into it.
The Celtics, fresh off an NBA Championship, are rolling right along in the regular season. They are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference, only behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
They are led by the same core as always, with their stars Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while having one of the best-supporting casts in all of basketball. The Celtics’ backcourt is great too, with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, who are elite defenders at their positions. Plus, you also have Kristaps Porzingis, healthy and protecting the rim while stretching the floor.
I would also be remiss if I did not mention Payton Pritchard as their sixth-man firecracker off the bench. Pritchard is averaging a career-high 13.8 points per game off the bench. This Celtics team is just so deep and has Al Horford available with his veteran leadership and defense.
This Celtics team looks to be primed for another deep run in the playoffs, ranking in the top 5 in both offensive and defensive ratings.
Looking at the 76ers’ season thus far, it has been a disaster. They have dealt with injuries to key players all year, including their stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, both of whom are unlikely to suit up for this game. They currently sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and are on the outside of the Play-in Tournament looking in.
With injuries plaguing the 76ers lately, Tyrese Maxey has been forced to become a superstar, which he seems to be on his way to doing. He was selected to the All-Star Game, averaging 27.5 PPG, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, all of which lead the 76ers. Maxey has been forced to take his game to another level, and he has done so, which has led to some wins as of late.
Ultimately, we expect this team to find their way into the Play-in Tournament, but they need Paul George and Joel Embiid healthy if they want any sort of extended run in the playoffs.
Looking at this matchup, we’ve seen this one already earlier this season. On Christmas Day, the 76ers upset the Celtics 118-114. Both Paul George and Joel Embiid played in that game, but it was Tyrese Maxey who led them in scoring with 33 points.
On the Celtics’ side, Jayson Tatum had a monster game, going for 32 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White chipped in with 20+ each, but the Celtics could not get enough stops to win the game. Kristaps Porzingis was ineffective that day, playing only 13 minutes.
That said, the Celtics will be looking for revenge in this one, as it is being nationally televised again on ESPN. We expect the Celtics to win this game pretty convincingly if Paul George and Joel Embiid do not suit up. Without George on the floor, both Tatum and Brown are complete mismatches.
We expect Jayson Tatum to have a big night in this one, even with his scoring production down as of late. He has failed to score 30 points in any game for eight straight games, but what he has done is get his teammates involved, with at least five assists in seven of those eight games. So, our pick tonight is on Jayson Tatum to have 5+ assists against the 76ers.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.