NBA Handicapping Predictions – Celtics vs 76ers
The Boston Celtics may not have shown up ready to play in the first two games of the series, but they were at their best in Game Three.
The Boston Celtics may not have shown up ready to play in the first two games of the series, but they were at their best in Game Three.
The first two games of this series couldn’t have been any closer. The Celtics escaped Game One with a one-point win.
The Philadelphia 76ers led almost the entire game in the series opener on Saturday, but the Celtics rallied to pick up a 92-91 victory.
Both Philadelphia and Boston closed out their opening series Thursday night in two hard fought wins.
The Atlanta Hawks staved off elimination earlier this week, but Boston returns home to try to finish off this series on Thursday night.
The Celtics are up 3-1 in this series after a laugher in Game 4 and history is not on the side of the Hawks, as Boston has never lost a playoff series after being up 3-1.
Well, the Hawks had all of the momentum in the world for a game. Plus another two and a half quarters. They had an 11-point lead with under three minutes to play in the third as they were looking to hold serve at home in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
After winning Game 1, the Hawks managed to take control of a series that not many gave them a chance in. Not only did the Atlanta win, but they flat out dominated the game. They never trailed, and the closest it got in the latter stages was just four points.
With just a couple of games left it is getting difficult to call some of these games – you just don’t know who is going to be on the court.
This is actually a huge game between two teams likely to meet in the first round of the playoffs.
The Magic are still without their big gun in Dwight Howard, but they have still won 2 straight and have clinched a playoff berth.
Boston just finished a back-to-back-to-back scheduling spot Sunday. The Knicks had a difficult fourth quarter Sunday afternoon and they dropped a tough home game to the Miami Heat.
The jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference playoff standings is in full form right now.
The Boston Celtics are looking to finish strong. They have won their last two games by 14 and 24 points and 7 of their last 9.
The Celtics snapped the Pacers 4-game winning streak in their last game, but they still trail Indianapolis by 2.5 games for the 4th playoff seed in the East.
Derrick Rose participated in his first full contact practice in weeks Wednesday night, but he is still listed as questionable for this contest. Boston has been playing much better basketball of late.