One of the all-time great rivalries in the history of American sports will write another chapter on Tuesday night when the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers tangle at Staples Center. And while the stakes for this matchup will be much lower than the previous NBA Finals clashes between these teams, both teams are in positions where a win would be valuable to them. In this round of NBA predictions, we give you our best bet for Celtics vs Lakers ahead of their nationally televised matchup.
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Celtics vs Lakers Betting Pick
This game will be played at 10:00 PM ET at Staples Center on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
Why Bet The Celtics:
✅ LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony are all questionable for this game on the Lakers’ injury report. Bettors may want to wait and see who is actually playing in this game before placing their bets, as Jaylen Brown is also questionable for Boston. But there is more injury upside in backing the Celtics at the current number than the Lakers.
✅ The Lakers have been a disaster defensively this season, giving up 113 points per game on the year. Only the Charlotte Hornets have given up more points per game on the season, and the Boston Celtics should be able to take advantage of the porous Lakers defense. Jayson Tatum should specifically have a great game, as the Lakers lack someone to guard him effectively for four quarters.
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✅ Boston has been a decent road team this season, going 7-7 on the road this season. The Lakers, meanwhile, are only 8-7 at home. Los Angeles is 4-11 against the spread at home, while Boston is 9-4-1 against the spread on the road. The Celtics are in a decent spot here to cover the number against a Lakers team that is terrible at covering at Staples Center.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have won three of their last four games, with their last outing being a blowout win on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers. Even without the consistent presence of Jaylen Brown, the Celtics have been explosive offensively on the road lately, averaging 137.5 points in their last two games against Portland and the Utah Jazz. Here, the Celtics have another chance to score big against a Lakers team they recently beat at home.
Boston beat the Lakers 130-108 in Boston the last time they met, with the Celtics getting plenty of good looks against a lackluster Lakers defense. Here, the Celtics will hope to have Jaylen Brown back, but they should be able to put up points whether or not Jayson Tatum’s top sidekick is available.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers dropped to 12-12 on the season in their last game, falling to the team they share Staples Center with in the LA Clippers. It was the defense of the Lakers that let them down in that game, as the Lakers gave up 119 points in the losing effort. Now, the Lakers will hope to avoid another defensive meltdown against a Celtics team that is firing on all cylinders on offense.
Injuries will be the key to this game for the Lakers, as their top two players in LeBron James and Anthony Davis are listed as questionable. Without those two, the Lakers stand little chance of beating the Celtics. But even with James and Davis, the Lakers have been abysmal on defense and will need to remedy that if they want to climb the Western Conference standings.