Boston disastrously misplaced Sport 4, permitting James Harden to empty a last-minute 3 to seal a one-point victory.
The Celtics then posted an entire dud in Sport 5, however regardless of 5 video games already being performed, there are numerous inquiries to reply about each groups.
Can Boston recuperate from a 3-2 deficit?
Can Joe Mazzulla make the mandatory (or any) changes?
Can the Celtics shoot remotely higher from 3-point vary?
Can Harden and Joel Embiid be stopped within the pick-and-roll?
Right here is our prediction and decide for Celtics vs. 76ers Sport 6.
Celtics vs. 76ers odds
Odds courtesy of Caesars, present on the time of writing and topic to alter.
Unfold: Celtics -2 (-110) vs. 76ers +2 (-110)
Moneyline: Celtics (-130) vs. 76ers (+110)
Whole: Over 212.5 (-110) | Below 212.5 (-111)
Celtics vs. 76ers prediction and evaluation
(7:30 p.m. ET. ESPN)
The 76ers ran a pick-and-roll set 33 instances in Sport 5, accounting for over 40% of their offensive performs, per ShotQuality.
Embiid and Harden ran the identical set repeatedly and burned the Celtics.
Harden completed with 10 assists, primarily by dishing to Embiid, who completed with 33 factors and 6 made area targets coming off the excessive display screen within the mid-range space.
The Celtics are icing these ball screens, permitting Harden to drive left whereas Embiid rolls into area.
The C’s have refused to alter their protection schemes on this collection, and it’s been a massacre.
Extra importantly, it’s been a constant, regular supply of offense for the Sixers, one thing the Celtics haven’t discovered.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been nice in spurts, however they’ve additionally disappeared for big durations.
For instance, Tatum didn’t make a single area aim within the first half of Sport 4 and completed with solely two factors within the first quarter of Sport 5.
Brown scored 12 factors within the first quarter of Sport 4 and didn’t take a single shot over the ultimate 17 minutes, all whereas the Celtics choked away a late time beyond regulation lead.
The Celtics are at their greatest when transferring the ball and working the ground.
But, they constantly haven’t performed that, as a substitute choosing 21 half-court isolation possessions in Sport 5, with eight ending in off-the-dribble 3s.
Consequently, the Celtics have been inconsistent.
They will get scorching from 3 and steal video games, however they’ve been horrendous in essentially the most vital moments of this collection.
Coach Mazzulla doesn’t appear prepared for playoff basketball, and I’m not betting he all of the sudden makes the mandatory changes six video games into the collection.
The general public will closely again the highway favourite Celtics, considering they’ll present up with their backs towards the wall.
Nevertheless, I feel this makes them overvalued, and I’m all the time prepared to fade the general public.
Moreover, The Motion Community App has tracked sharp cash coming in on Philadelphia regardless of most bets being on the opposite facet.
Betting on the NBA?
We characterize this as reverse line motion, a worthwhile wager sign.
I’m performed believing within the Celtics.
Regardless of their large expertise benefit, teaching and schematics are too vital in playoff basketball, and the Celtics look vastly outmatched in each areas.
I’ll again the Sixers as sharp residence canines in Sport 6. Given I feel they’ll win the sport, I’d play them at a PK or higher.
Celtics vs. 76ers decide
Philadelphia 76ers +2 (-110) | Play to PK (-110) — Caesars
