Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers is set for Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Boston holds a commanding 3-0 series lead heading into this 6 p.m. tip on TNT.
Boston at Philadelphia Game Overview
Boston came into this best-of-seven Atlantic Division tilt as an underdog on the series price and in the opening game on its home court. With a dominating 117-101 victory in Game 1 as five-point underdogs, the Celtics set the tone as the No. 2 seed in the conference. They came from behind to win Game 2 last Thursday 108-103 as 3.5-point home underdogs before going on the road to beat Philly 101-98 on Saturday in overtime as heavy nine-point underdogs. The total stayed UNDER 206 points in that game after going OVER in the first two.
A big chunk of Boston’s offense was lost for the season when Kyrie Irving injured his knee late in the regular season. However, this team has made its living all year long at the other end of the court playing shutdown defense. The Celtics were ranked third in the NBA in points allowed (100.4) in the regular season, and they have kept the Sixers well below their 110-point scoring average in all three games.
Youth and postseason inexperience were not a factor in Philadelphia’s opening-round matchup against Miami with a 4-1 series victory both straight-up and against the spread. However, the No. 3 seed in the East has consistently shot themselves in the foot over the last three games. This was the same team that won its last 16 regular season games SU while going 11-5 ATS. Now it is left wondering if it can win one more game this year.
Blown leads and the inability to put teams away were an issue at times for the youthful Sixers in the regular season, and those same problems have plagued them in the last two games. Philadelphia had a 22-point lead at one point in Game 2 before the collapse, and in Saturday’s devastating loss at home, it came up short in overtime to fall into the 3-0 series hole. Joel Embiid scored 22 points and pulled down 19 rebounds to post his fifth-straight double-double, but his individual efforts have not been enough to carry his team in this series.
Get more details: Boston at Philadelphia NBA Match-Up
Boston at Philadelphia Betting Trends
- The Celtics have gone a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games in this round of the playoffs and they are 8-3 ATS in their previous 11 games following a straight up win. The total has gone OVER in 11 of their last 14 Monday games.
- The Sixers are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 home games, but they fall to 2-5 ATS in their previous seven games against a division opponent. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in five of their last six games on Monday.
- Head-to-head in this matchup, Boston is 7-2 ATS in its last nine road games against Philadelphia, and the total stayed UNDER in four of the seven meetings this season.
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