Free NBA Pick: Wizards vs. Celtics NBA Odds
Looking for Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Wizards taking on the Celtics on Tuesday, May 19th, 2021at TD Garden. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Wizards Celtics matchup.
2021 NBA Handicapping
(34-38) Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics (36 -36)
Date: Tuesday, May 18th
Time: 9:00 PM EST
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
NBA Moneyline Odds: Wizards +118 | Celtics -125
NBA Betting Odds: Celtics -2
NBA Betting Total: 232.5
The 2021 NBA postseason tips off on Tuesday, May 18th with both games for the Eastern Conference portion of the play-in tournament occurring. This second game of the night features the eighth-seeded Washington Wizards playing the seventh-seeded Boston Celtics.
The winner will be cemented as the seventh seed and face the second-seeded Brooklyn Nets. The loser will get a second shot to earn the eighth seed facing the winner of the match between the ninth (Pacers) and 10th (Hornets) seeds. The winner of that match will move onto play the East’s top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
This is the fifth time the Wizards and Celtics have faced each other in postseason action with Boston winning 13 of the 22 prior games.
The teams have played a total of 311 occasions in their history with the Celtics winning 194 contests. This season the Celtics took two of the three matches.
Washington Wizards
Bradley Beal has feasted on the Celtics scoring 41, 35, and 46 points in the three matches for an average of 40.6 points.
Meanwhile, the Celtics are one of seven teams Russell Westbrook failed to register a triple-double against this season while he collected 38 in total and moved to number one all-time with 184.
In two of those instances, he missed games against the opponent (Heat, Pelicans) and in four he missed out collecting the triple-double by a single rebound or assist (Knicks, Mavericks, Clippers, Pelicans)
In the three meetings versus the Celtics, Westbrook averaged 16.3 points, 7.6 assists, and 8.0 rebounds. It should be noted the three matches occurred earlier in the season before Washington found their rhythm.
The teams last played on February 28th, a full month before the Wizards began to click. Washington started the season slowly dealing with COVID-19 and injuries but closed strong down the stretch going 19-10 to finish the season.
Raul Neto (hamstring strain) is probable. Deni Avdija (ankle fracture) and Thomas Bryant (torn ACL) are done for the season.
Boston Celtics
Unlike the Wizards the Celtics struggled at season end, losing five of their final six matches. In their final 13 games, the Celtics won four times and all versus lower-tier clubs (Hornets, Spurs, Cavaliers, Wolves).
In the three games the Celtics faced the Wizards, Jayson Tatum had two great games (32 and 31 points) and one poor showing (6 points on 3 of 14 shooting).
Boston will sorely miss Jaylen Brown who feasted on the Wizards in the two matches he played registering 27 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and two steals on January 8th and 25 points with seven rebounds on February 14th.
While the Celtics have struggled to close the season, they’ll be dialed in for this play-in to prove everyone wrong and have far more experience (and success) in recent years than the Wizards.
Robert Williams III (turf toe) is probable. Jaylen Brown (left scapholunate ligament surgery) is done for the rest of the season.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The Celtics are 6-4 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
- The Wizards are 5-4-1 ATS in the last 10 head to head meetings
- Over/Under is 4-6 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
Free Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics NBA Prediction:
Stars are the storyline with Tatum and Kemba Walker under the spotlight for Boston and the Wizards star backcourt of Beal and Westbrook. But, the truth is the x-factor could very well be one of the ‘others’ such as Boston’s Evan Fournier or Marcus Smart versus Washington’s Davis Bertans or Rui Hachimura.
It behooves the Celtics to make this a defensive battle – if they force the Wizards into that style versus trying to make this an offensive free-flowing game I think they’ll win a close battle at the buzzer.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Celtics ATS
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