Celtics vs 76ers Prediction Game 2 NBA Playoffs 5/3

© Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Game Preview: 76ers vs Celtics (May 3, 2023) Pregame - Philadelphia takes 1-0 lead into game 2 against Boston

The second-round playoff series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics has already started heating up, with the 76ers taking a 1-0 lead after winning the first game on May 1st with a score of 119-115. The two teams are set to meet again on May 3rd, with the Celtics looking to even the series. As game 2 approaches, NBA picks experts, NBA picks computers, and NBA picks em predict that the 76ers will continue to dominate, with many predictions favoring the Eastern Conference's third seed. However, the Celtics' strong performance in the regular season cannot be ignored, and NBA today experts predict that they will put up a good fight. Looking closer at the stats, the Celtics are ranked second in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 57-25, while the 76ers are close behind with a record of 54-28, placing third. The Celtics have gone 11-5 against division opponents and are seventh in the league with 26.7 assists per game, with Marcus Smart leading the team with an average of 6.3. The 76ers, on the other hand, are 10-6 against opponents in the Atlantic Division and rank sixth in the Eastern Conference with 25.2 assists per game, led by James Harden averaging 10.7. In terms of top performers, the Celtics' Jayson Tatum is averaging an impressive 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, while Jaylen Brown is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games. For the 76ers, Harden is averaging 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists, while Tyrese Maxey is averaging 14.7 points over the last 10 games. As the game approaches, NBA picks and parlay, NBA expert picks today and best NBA bets today will continue to pour in, with many predicting a close game. The Celtics are favored to win by 9 points, with the over/under set at 218.5. Injuries are a concern, with Danilo Gallinari out for the Celtics and Joel Embiid out for the 76ers due to knee injuries. All eyes are now on game 2, as both teams look to emerge victorious and gain an advantage in the series. Will the 76ers continue their winning streak or will the Celtics turn the tide and even the series? Only time will tell.

76ers: Offensive Analysis

The Philadelphia 76ers head into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics with a 1-0 lead in the series. In their last meeting on May 1, the 76ers won 119-115 behind an impressive 45-point performance from James Harden. Although they'll be without the injured Joel Embiid, the 76ers boast a deep roster with plenty of offensive weapons. In terms of offensive statistics, the 76ers rank 14th in the league in points per game with an average of 114.7. They will need to increase their scoring output if they hope to beat the Celtics, who boast the third-best defense in the NBA in terms of points allowed per game. One area where the 76ers have excelled this season is three-point shooting. They lead the league with a 38.8% three-point percentage, and Harden has been a major contributor in this regard. He averages 4.9 three-point attempts per game and shoots at a 36.4% clip from beyond the arc. Tobias Harris also shoots a respectable 39.4% from three-point range. The 76ers are also effective at drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. They rank fourth in the league in free throw attempts per field goal attempt with a rate of 0.292. Harden leads the team in free throws attempted per game with an average of 8.3. On the rebounding front, the 76ers average 48.4 rebounds per game and rank 11th in offensive rebounding percentage with a rate of 22.1%. Montrezl Harrell has been instrumental in this regard, averaging 5.3 rebounds per game off the bench. Although the Celtics are a tough defensive team, the 76ers have the offensive firepower to compete. If they can continue their strong three-point shooting and aggressive offensive play, they have a good chance of pulling off another win and taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

76ers: Defensive Analysis

The Philadelphia 76ers come into game two against the Boston Celtics with a 1-0 lead in the series, and they will be looking to continue their strong defensive play in order to secure a victory. The 76ers rank third in the league in defense, allowing just 110.1 points per game to their opponents. They have been particularly effective at limiting their opponents' scoring from beyond the arc, where they are holding teams to just 34.7% shooting, the fourth-best mark in the league. The absence of Joel Embiid, who is out with a knee injury, could have a significant impact on the 76ers' defensive performance. However, the team has still managed to maintain their defensive intensity in his absence, holding opponents to just 106.8 points per game over their last 10 games. The Celtics, on the other hand, have been a strong offensive team this season, averaging 118.0 points per game over their last 10 games. However, they will have to contend with a 76ers defense that has been especially stingy in the paint, allowing just 47.7 points per game. One potential area of concern for the 76ers is their rebounding. They rank just 26th in the league in total rebounds per game, and they will need to do a better job on the glass if they hope to contain a Celtics team that ranks second in the league in rebounds. In conclusion, the 76ers will need to continue their strong defensive play if they hope to secure a victory in game two against the Celtics. While the absence of Embiid could pose some challenges, the team has shown that they are capable of maintaining their defensive intensity in his absence. If they can tighten up their rebounding, they should be in a good position to come away with a win.

Celtics: Offense Analysis

The Boston Celtics will face off against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round game with a 1-0 deficit in the series. In this pregame analysis, we will focus on the Celtics' offensive strategy for the game. According to NBA Picks Experts, the Celtics will need to improve their shooting efficiency as they are currently ranked sixth in the league with a shooting efficiency of 1.197. They also have the sixth-highest shooting percentage in the league at 48.6%. The Celtics have been averaging 118.0 points per game in their last ten games while shooting 51.0% from the field. However, they will need to improve their three-point shooting, as they are ranked 15th in the league with 12.7 3PM per game. The Celtics will need to rely on their top performers, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who are averaging 30.1 points and 2.1 made 3-pointers per game respectively in their last ten games. Additionally, the Celtics will need to continue taking advantage of their opponent's fouls, as they are ranked fourth in the league in FTA/FGA at 0.292%. Despite having the fourth-worst defense value in the league with an OppPoints/Game of 110.1, the Celtics have a chance to turn their offense around in this game. The Celtics have gone 11-5 against division opponents this season and currently rank seventh in the league with 26.7 assists per game, led by Marcus Smart who is averaging 6.3 assists per game. In summary, the Celtics will need to improve their shooting efficiency, three-point shooting, and rely on their top performers to turn their offense around in game 2. If they can continue taking advantage of their opponent's fouls and rely on their solid assist game, they may have a chance to take down the 76ers and even up the series. 

Celtics: Defensive Analysis

As the Philadelphia 76ers take a 1-0 lead into Game 2 against the Boston Celtics, the Celtics will need to step up their defensive game if they want to secure a victory. While the Celtics have been strong against division opponents, winning 11 out of 16 games, they'll need to find a way to slow down the 76ers' offense which is ranked 14th in the league at 114.7 points per game. One key player that the Celtics will need to focus on is James Harden, who scored an impressive 45 points in the last meeting between the two teams on May 1st. Harden is averaging 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists for the 76ers this season, and the Celtics will need to find a way to limit his impact on the game. The Celtics have been strong defensively this season, ranking third in the league in opponent points per game at 110.1. They'll need to continue this trend and find ways to disrupt the 76ers' offensive flow if they want to have a chance at victory. The Celtics will also need to focus on their rebounding game, as they have averaged 45.6 rebounds per game this season, while the 76ers have averaged 42.9. If the Celtics can dominate on the boards and limit second-chance opportunities for the 76ers, they'll have a better chance at slowing down their offense. In summary, the Celtics will need to step up their defensive game if they want to secure a victory against the 76ers in Game 2. They'll need to find a way to limit the impact of James Harden, disrupt the 76ers' offensive flow, and dominate on the boards. With these defensive adjustments, the Celtics can tip the odds in their favor and come out with a win.

Injury Report

As the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics gear up for game two of the Eastern Conference second round, both teams are dealing with injuries. For the Celtics, Danilo Gallinari is out with a knee injury. He has been out since early April and is not expected to return anytime soon. For the 76ers, star center Joel Embiid is out with a knee injury. He missed game one of the series and is expected to miss game two as well. Embiid's absence is a huge blow for Philadelphia, as he averaged 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds during the regular season. The 76ers will rely heavily on James Harden and Tobias Harris to pick up the scoring slack in Embiid's absence. Overall, this game could come down to which team can better adjust to their key player's absence. The Celtics will need Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to step up and carry the load offensively, while the 76ers will need their role players to elevate their game to fill the void left by Embiid. With both teams dealing with injuries, this game could be a close one and could come down to the wire.

Betting Trends

As the Philadelphia 76ers take a 1-0 lead into Game 2 against the Boston Celtics, bettors are looking at some key trends to inform their NBA picks. The Celtics have gone 11-5 against division opponents this season and are seventh in the league with 26.7 assists per game, led by Marcus Smart averaging 6.3. Meanwhile, the 76ers are 10-6 against opponents in the Atlantic Division and rank sixth in the Eastern Conference with 25.2 assists per game, led by James Harden averaging 10.7. Looking at the last 10 games, the Celtics are 7-3 and averaging 118.0 points per game, while the 76ers are 8-2 and averaging 111.2 points per game. The two teams' shooting percentages are 51.0% and 48.1%, respectively. In terms of injuries, the Celtics' Danilo Gallinari is out with a knee injury, while the 76ers' Joel Embiid remains out with a knee injury as well. As bettors consider parlay options and NBA picks with spread, they may also want to note the 76ers' strong shooting percentages, including a 38.8% three-point percentage (ranked first in the league) and an effective field goal percentage of 56.1% (ranked sixth in the league).

Prediction