NBA Picks 3/3 – Brooklyn Nets +11 @ Boston Celtics
by Thomas Quaynor – NBA analyst for Wannamakeabet.com
The Brooklyn Nets (34-28) visit the Boston Celtics (45-18) tonight on ESPN. Boston is an 11-point favorite and the total is 226.5. This is the fourth and final meeting between these teams, Boston dominated the first three meetings, winning 103-92 and 109-98 in Brooklyn, then 139-96 at home last month. Boston has won 10 straight games against Brooklyn, this includes a 4-game sweep in the first round of the playoffs last April. Brooklyn has lost 4 straight games and 6 of their last 7, and currently holds the six spot in the East.
Boston has won 8 of their last 10 games and are currently the 2 seed in the East, they have the second best record in the NBA behind the Milwaukee Bucks.
THE SKINNY ON BOTH TEAMS
As expected, Brooklyn has struggled since they unloaded KD and Kyrie at the trade deadline. They’ve gone 2-6 since the trades and have been blown out in four of those losses, including a 44-point loss at middling Chicago a week ago. Despite the struggles of late, Brooklyn has received outstanding play from the young forwards, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who were part of the haul they got back for Kevin Durant. Bridges has scored 20+ points in three straight games and has averaged 23.4pts, 5rebs and 3.1asts per game with Brooklyn. Johnson is averaging 19ppg with Brooklyn and is coming off a 33 point game (where he hit 7 three pointers) against New York.
The Kevin Durant trade may end up looking really favorable for Brooklyn in a few years if Bridges and Johnson continue to put up these numbers and the team improves. Center Nic Claxton has emerged as a key piece for Brooklyn this year averaging 12.5pts, 9rebs and 2.5blks.
Last season, the Boston Celtics surprised the NBA world by making it all the way to the NBA Finals, winning two Game 7’s on the road (at Milwaukee and Miami) to get there. Despite the unexpected loss of their head coach in the offseason, Boston has picked up right where they left off as they’ve been at/near the top of the NBA standings for the entire year.
Boston is led by their All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum (30.3ppg, 8.7rebs, 4.7asts, 1stl, All-Star game MVP) and Jaylen Brown (26.3ppg, 6.9rebs, 1.1stls). Free agent signee, former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon is Boston’s third leading scorer at 14.6pts and 4.1rebs per game.
THE PICK
Boston has owned Brooklyn for about a year now, I don’t expect anything to change tonight…Lay the 11, Boston wins big!!
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