The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics met in the first round of the NBA Playoffs last season, with the Nets advancing comfortably as favorites. This year, the Celtics enter their first round series as favorites, as they come into the playoffs playing some of the best basketball in the NBA. In our NBA predictions for Easter Sunday, we look at Nets vs Celtics in the opener of what is expected to be the most tightly contested series of the first round in the NBA Playoffs.
Nets vs Celtics BetMGM Sportsbook Promo Code
New bettors at BetMGM can bet $10 and win $200 if a three is made in this Nets vs Celtics game!
New bettors at BetMGM can take advantage of the site’s new player offer to earn an extra $200 in an offer that is almost a guaranteed winner. Bettors can put $10 on either team to win this Nets vs Celtics contest, and win $200 in free bets as long as a single three-point shot is made during the game. With great shooters like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving involved, this offer is virtually guaranteed to pay off.
Nets vs Celtics Game 1 Betting Pick
This game will be played at 3:30 PM ET at TD Garden on Sunday, April 17, 2022.
Why Bet The Celtics:
✅ The Celtics have the number one defense in the NBA this season, both in terms of defensive rating and points per game allowed. While the majority of bettors are looking to back the team led by Irving and Durant in this contest, the Celtics should be able to clamp down on the rest of the Nets to put this game away.
✅ Believe it or not, the Boston Celtics also have a better offensive rating than the Nets after the regular season. Some of that has to do with the injuries and trades that the Nets dealt with throughout this season, but it also has a lot to do with the efficiency of the Celtics offense. The depth of the Celtics offensively is going to be key to their success in this series, and they should pass the test in Game 1.
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
✅ This line is as short as it is thanks to the injury to Robert Williams, which has negatively impacted the defense of the Celtics. But Boston’s 111 points per game allowed since Williams was injured is still lower than Brooklyn’s season average on the defensive end of the floor. Boston will still be able to dig in and get stops against a Nets team that does not run a lot of offense for its bigs anyway.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets made it through the Play-In Tournament, needing just one game to claim the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They took a 20-point lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and held on despite a late run by the Cavs to secure a spot in the first round of the playoffs. Here, the Nets face a tougher test against a Celtics team that could pose problems for the defense of Steve Nash’s team.
Brooklyn has the length to guard Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown through Kevin Durant, but they may struggle to guard both of them at the same time. Tatum and Brown are both effective at all three levels offensively, and could find success against some smaller defenders depending on how the Nets choose to guard the two of them. The Nets have split their two games in Boston this season, but their win came with James Harden on the team, and the question is whether Seth Curry and Andre Drummond can help produce a similar result.
Boston Celtics
Boston was the hottest team in the NBA during the second half of the season, rising up the standings quickly to earn the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They won three of their four games against the Nets this season, and will look to strike another blow against former Celtic Kyrie Irving and the rest of Brooklyn. To do that, they will have to find a way to slow down Irving and Durant.
Both Irving and Durant have a history of hitting big shots in the playoffs, and Irving is coming off of a 12/15 shooting night against the Cavaliers. Boston will have to figure out how to get the ball out of their hands early in possessions, but that could free up looks in the paint for the likes of Bruce Brown, Andre Drummond, and Nic Claxton depending on how the Celtics rotate defensively.