Free NBA Pick: Celtics vs. Blazers NBA Odds
Looking for Boston Celtics vs. Portland Trail Blazers free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Celtics taking on the Blazers on Saturday, December 4th, 2021 at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Celtics Blazers matchup.
2021 NBA Handicapping
(12-11) Boston Celtics vs. Portland Trail Blazers (11-12)
Date: Saturday, December 4th
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Venue: Bankers Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
NBA Moneyline Odds: Celtics -111 | Blazers -111 (Bet Now!)
NBA Betting Odds: Celtics -1
NBA Betting Total: 217
Saturday, December 4th finds the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers tipping off in their first meeting of the 2021-22 season.
The Celtics last played Friday as they began a five-game Western trip playing the front side of a back-to-back on Friday in a 130-137 loss to the Jazz while the Blazers last played Thursday in a brutal 83-114 beatdown at the hands of the Spurs.
The Celtics hold the all-time record between the clubs with 70 wins in 118 meetings. Last season, the teams played twice with each team winning on the opposing court.
Boston Celtics
After falling behind by double-digits the Celtics fought back erasing the 14 point deficit to take a four-point lead and looked like they might steal a win in Utah.
Unfortunately, Boston allowed themselves to get lured into a track meet featuring offense only and that favored the Jazz and all their weapons.
Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 37 points plus six rebounds, five assists, and a block. With Jaylen Brown out nursing a sore hamstring, Dennis Schroder got the start contributing 26 points, two rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Al Horford flirted with a double-double scoring 21 points and dishing nine assists plus six rebounds along with a steal, and a block. Marcus Smart (15) and Josh Richardson (11) were the other players to score in double digits.
Boston turned 20 Jazz turnovers into 31 points and owned the paint scoring 50 to 36 but was outrebounded 44 to 30 and Utah won the game on the perimeter connecting on 27 triples to Boston’s 14 for a 39 point advantage.
Portland Trail Blazers
While the big news in Portland was Damian Lillard being shut down at least 10 days to deal with that abdominal strain that has plagued him in recent seasons there is other news that trumped it on Friday.
General Manager, Neil Olshey was fired following a misconduct investigation. That puts a lot up in the air for the Blazers who hired a new coach (Chauncey Billups) and haven’t been performing up to the standards they expect with a sub .500 record through 23 games.
Could this dictate other moves such as trades coming or will the interim GM, Joe Cronin stick with what Olshey was planning prior to his dismissal?
Lillard is averaging 21.5 points but performing far from his typical efficiency. Through 20 appearances this season he’s shooting 39.7 percent from the field and an abysmal 30.2 percent from the perimeter.
Portland will have to find ways to win without him and so far through two games, they’ve split the results beating the lottery-bound Pistons but were routed by the Spurs. It was their first loss at the Moda Center in 11 matches.
CJ McCollum registered 16 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks. Norman Powell returned from missing the past two games to also score 16 points. The pair combined to shoot 10 of 31 from the field.
Anfernee Simons got the nod to replace Lillard but he was lost in the first frame suffering an ankle sprain. Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Covington each scored 10 points while nine Blazer reserves played with only Ben McLemore scoring in double-figures (11).
Simons was downgraded to out on Saturday joining Lillard and Nassir Little on the sidelines.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The Celtics are 6-4 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
- The Celtics are 5-4-1 ATS in the last 10 head to head meetings
- Over/Under is 7-3 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
Free Boston Celtics vs. Portland Trail Blazers NBA Prediction:
Coach Billups called out his team’s effort in the loss to the Spurs and have the rest advantage but how will the firing of Olshey and absence of two core contributors impact this match?
Of the Celtics’ four prior back-to-back sets on the second game, they’ve won three of the four (Hornets, Heat, Thunder). So Portland can’t simply rely on Boston being fatigued.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Celtics -1
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