He NBA Christmas Day has been a tradition since 1947, and one of the five games on the 2024 NBA Christmas schedule will be the Boston Celtics against the Philadelphia 76ers. The reigning world champions have played on Christmas Day since 1995, and the Celtics look like a contender to play again after a 22-7 start. Meanwhile, the Sixers are just 10-17 on the season, but have won seven of their last 10 in better health. Jayson Tatum (illness), Derrick White (hamstring) and Jrue Holiday (shoulder) are questionable for Boston
Kickoff at TD Garden in Boston is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. The Celtics are 8.5-point favorites in the latest Celtics vs. 76ers consensus from SportsLine, while the over/under for total points scored is 221.5. Before entering any 76ers vs. Celtics,
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has generated over $10,000 in winnings from $100 player bets on its top-rated site. NBA selections for the last six seasons. The model enters Week 10 of the 2024-25 NBA season on an excellent 128-92 run on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone who follows sports betting and betting apps has made huge profits.
The model has set her sights on Celtics vs. 76ers and simply locked in his NBA picks and predictions.
- Difference between Celtics and 76ers: Celtics -8.5
- Celtics vs. 76ers over/under: 221.5 points
- Celtics-76ers moneyline: Celtics -397, 76ers +310
- BOS: The Celtics have covered the spread in six of 10 against the Sixers
- PHI: The 76ers have covered the spread in four of their last five road games
- Celtics vs. 76ers Picks:
- Celtics vs. 76ers stream: fubo tv (Try it for free)
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is coming off a 108-104 loss to the Magic on Monday and currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. Tatum (illness) missed the loss to Orlando, but Jaylen Brown did his best to carry the scoring load in his absence. Brown was 15 of 29 from the field and finished with 35 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals, but the Celtics could only go eight deep and turned the ball over 19 times.
Tatum was not on the injury report, but he did not appear on the bench for the first half and then was ruled out in the second half with a non-COVID-related illness. However, the Celtics are still 2-1 without Tatum in the lineup so far this season. The last time these two franchises met in February, Tatum had 29 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in an 18-point victory.
Why the 76ers can cover
Meanwhile, the Sixers are coming off a 111-106 victory over the Spurs on Monday despite Joel Embiid being ejected and only playing 14 minutes. Tyrese Maxey helped pick up the slack with Embiid out with 32 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. The NBA’s most improved player a season ago is averaging 25.4 points and 5.1 assists per game in 2024-25 despite Embiid and Paul George missing extended periods.
Embiid, Maxey and George are scheduled to be in the lineup on Christmas Day, although NBA Rookie of the Year favorite Jared McCain is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus. Philadelphia is now 1.5 games out of a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament and four games out of a top-six spot in the East and is guaranteed entry to the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Center Andre Drummond (toe) is questionable.
How to make picks between Celtics and 76ers
The model has simulated Sixers vs. Celtics 10,000 times and we already have the results. The model leans on the total, projecting 222 points. It also says that one side of the differential affects more than 60% of the simulations.
