Celtics vs Trail Blazers: NBA Predictions and Betting 3/17

Photo Credit © David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics will take on the Portland Trail Blazers on March 17, 2023, at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The game features two high-scoring players in Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum. This game will be exciting, and both teams have their strengths and weaknesses. Let's analyze both teams and make some predictions.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are having a great season, with a record of 48-22 and second in the Eastern Conference. Jaylen Brown has been on fire in the last ten games, averaging 25.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The team has been great on defense, allowing only 112.2 points per game. However, the Celtics have struggled to score in the paint, averaging only 45.9 points per game. They will need to improve in this area to win this game.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are having a rough season, with a record of 31-38 and 13th in the Western Conference. Damian Lillard has been carrying the team, averaging 32.3 points and 7.3 assists per game. However, the Trail Blazers have been struggling on defense, allowing 115.9 points per game. They will need to step up their defense to win this game.

Betting Trends:

The Celtics are 22-13 in road games, while the Trail Blazers are 17-16 at home. The Celtics have a 5-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points. The Trail Blazers have a 16-22 record against teams over .500.

Public Betting Data:

According to the latest public betting data, 60% of the bets are on the Celtics to cover the spread.

Prediction:

The Celtics have been great on defense, but they will need to improve their scoring in the paint to win this game. The Trail Blazers have been struggling on defense, but Damian Lillard has been carrying the team on offense. This game could go either way, but we predict that the Celtics will win with a final score of 115-110.

Pick: Boston Celtics (-4.5)