If the Boston Celtics want to keep advancing in the Eastern Conference playoffs, they’d be better served to avoid a slow start. The Celtics made it to the second round despite losing the first two games of their opening series against the Bulls, but won’t have the same margin for error against the No. 4 seed Washington Wizards.
Top-seeded Boston will have Game 1 of this Eastern Conference semifinal matchup at home and should be favored, since they had the superior regular season record. However, the Wizards boast a talented backcourt and enough firepower to be competitive.
Washington must figure out its road woes in order to pull this upset, something it was able to do in an easy win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of their series last time out. There are only eight teams left in the playoffs, and Boston hopes to prove it is a legitimate contender by performing well in the opening game against the Wizards.
This war on the floor will go down Sunday, April 30, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The game will be televised live on ABC.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Sunday schedule.
NBA Odds
The Celtics should be favorites in this one, though the spread isn’t expected to be too large since the Wizards are a solid foe. Keep an eye out on the scoring total, as it should reflect approximately the number that could be used in each game this series.
Boston enters with a record of 57-31 straight up and 45-42-1 against the spread. The Celtics have played in 44 home games on the season and covered in 18 of them. Boston is 34-33 against the spread as the favorite.
The Wizards are 53-35 straight up and 45-42-1 against the spread. Washington is 20-23-1 against the spread on the road and has covered in half of its 36 games as the underdog.
Season Series
These teams met four times in the regular season and split the outcomes. Otto Porter scored 34 points in the first one as the Wizards cruised to a 118-93 win at home. Boston bounced back at home in the second matchup, as Isaiah Thomas scored 38 in a 117-108 win. The Wizards led that one in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on.
The Wizards won their other home game of the series as well, as Bradley Beal had 31 points in a 123-108 victory. The Celtics pulled off the season series tie by defending their home court in the fourth matchup, getting 25 from Thomas in the 110-102 victory.
The home team defended its turf each time in the regular season. The Celtics would be fine with a duplicate of that in this playoff matchup since they have the home court advantage, while the Wizards will need to find a way to win at least one in Boston.
Matchup To Watch
Thomas vs. John Wall -- Two of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference will go head-to-head throughout this series, and the one who plays better will give his team the leg up.
Thomas averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game this season, shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three-point range. His numbers were down across the board in the first round against the Bulls but he should be able to bounce back in this one against a team which isn’t as good defensively.
Wall averaged 23.1 points, 10.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game in the regular season, elevating his game to another level to put the Wizards among the East’s best teams. He averaged 27 points per game in the first round against the Hawks. If he can have a similar impact, the Wizards will have a chance at winning this series.
Free NBA ATS Pick
The Celtics are the top seed in the East but didn’t look like it in their first round series. They will aim to turn it on against the Wizards, but it won’t be easy as they have more talent than Chicago.
Washington has issues on the road, and the pick here is to for Boston to come away with the Game 1 victory, but keep a close eye on the spread. If it’s too low, the Wizards could definitely cover. The scoring total in this one could be pretty high as both teams like a fast pace.
NBA Odds: Celtics 113, Wizards 109
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
