One of the more underrated stretches on the sports calendar is this week with the first full week of the NBA Playoffs chock full of games. Tuesday night is particularly loaded with big market teams, and big name attractions.
The 76ers and Celtics will kick things off in Boston at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Trail Blazers versus Spurs in San Antonio at 8 p.m. ET. Lastly, the Rockets will take on the Lakers in LA at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Below, we will deliver a betting preview of each contest.
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
Start time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN/Peacock
Point spread: Celtics -13.5
Moneyline: 76ers +550, Celtics -800
Total: Over 216.5 (-110), Under 216.5 (-110)
The Sixers will likely be employing a mindset of “what do we have to lose? It can’t get any worse” in Game 2 Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Boston blasted the Sixers 123-91 on Sunday, with Jayson Tatum (25 points, 11 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (26 points) enjoying highly efficient afternoons. Tyrese Maxey had a plus/minus of -29 in Game 1, thanks in large part to a smothering Celtics defense.
It’s difficult to find silver linings for the Sixers at the moment, but one may lie with Boston’s reliance on the 3-ball. Joe Mazzulla’s squad shot 44 3-pointers in Game 1.
In the playoffs last season, the Knicks were able to shut off Boston’s 3-point spout for long stretches. When the Celtics missed 3 or 4 3-pointers in a row last year against the Knicks, particularly in front of their home crowd at TD Garden, it would trigger a snowball effect allowing the opposition to capitalize.
No doubt, a big part of Nick Nurse’s game plan on Tuesday will be for Philly to up the defensive intensity on the perimeter.
The Celtics are -13.5 favorites for Game 2, which is the same spread as Game 1. Boston bettors never sweat it on Sunday, as the C’s won by 32 points.
The C’s are an NBA-best 50-33-0 against the spread. Philly is now 44-40-0 ATS.
The total for Game 1 was 214.5, and the Celtics and 76ers went just a hair under that number, combining for 214 points. Boston games have gone Over the total just 30 times this season. C’s games have gone Under 53 times.
Philly games have gone Over 40 times, and Under 44 times.
Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs
Start time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock
Point spread: Spurs -11.5
Moneyline: Trail Blazers +460, Spurs -650
Total: Over 220.5 (-110), Under 220.5 (-110)
The Blazers-Spurs series is also going according to script thus far, as Portland coasted to a 111-98 victory in Game 1.
Victor Wembanyama was phenomenal in his first career NBA playoff game, going 13-of-21 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from 3, to finish with 35 points. Deni Avdija was able to put up numbers for the Blazers on Sunday, as he racked up 30 points and 10 boards.
Wemby erased Blazers big man Donovan Clingan, as Clingan scored just 4 points.
The Blazers will likely lean on Shaedon Sharpe and Jerami Grant a bit more in Game 2. Both players were injured late in the regular season and are just now getting back to form. Sharpe played 22 minutes off the bench in Game 1, and scored 10 points. Grant played 19 minutes off the bench and totaled 5 points.
The spread for Game 2 (Spurs -11.5) of this series is the same as it was for Game 1. Spurs spread bettors walked away happy on Sunday, with San Antonio winning by 13.
Mitch Johnson’s crew is one of the better teams in the NBA against the spread, owning a 47-35-2 mark. Portland isn’t too shabby either, owning a 45-39-0 ATS record.
Game 1 went Under the 222.5 total.
San Antonio games have gone Under the number 37 times this season, and Over 47 times. Portland games have gone Over the total 43 times and Under the total 41 times.
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Start time/TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock
Point spread: Rockets -4.5
Moneyline: Lakers +155, Rockets -190
Total: Over 206.0 (-110), Under 206.0 (-110)
The Lakers-Rockets series is already a war of attrition as Luka Dončić, Kevin Durant, and Austin Reaves were all absent from Game 1.
Durant was a late scratch in Game 1, as the line moved from Rockets -4.5 to Rockets -2.5 just prior to tip-off Saturday at the building formerly known as Staples Center.
Luke Kennard stole the show for the Lakers, as he posted a playoff career-high 27 points. LeBron James filled the stat sheet with 19 points and 13 assists.
Durant is likely to play in Game 2, but the returns of Doncic and and Reaves on Tuesday do not look promising.
The Lakers are now 47-36-0 against the spread this season. Houston is 36-47-0 ATS.
LA and Houston combined for 205 points in Game 1, going Under the 208.0 total.
JJ Redick’s Lakers have now gone Over the number 41 times this season, and Under 42 times. Ime Udoka’s Rockets have now gone Over 39 times, Under 43 times, and they hit one total on the nose this season.
