The Boston Celtics continue their march to the NBA’s No. 1 overall seed this season. They have the NBA’s best record at 50-14 and come into tonight’s matchup against the Utah Jazz as winners of 13 of their last 15 games.
However, if the Celtics want to keep the positive vibes going against the Jazz, they’ll have to do it shorthanded. Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford will all sit this one out with injuries.
Regardless, Boston still has Jayson Tatum, and the NBA odds have the C's listed as slight road favorites against a Utah team missing its best player in Lauri Markkanen.
I break it all down and bring you the best bet, plus a same-game parlay in my NBA picks and predictions for Celtics vs. Jazz.
Celtics vs Jazz odds
Celtics vs Jazz predictions
The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the NBA all season, thanks in large part to having the best starting five in basketball. That starting five has resulted in the best net rating in the NBA, leading the NBA in offensive rating and ranking second in defensive rating.
Tonight, the Celtics will be put to the test as they will take on the Utah Jazz without Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, as well as key reserve Al Horford.
Not only does that signal the Celtics will be down three of their top four rebounders, but it also means Boston running deeper down their bench than usual. That could mean more missed shots than normal for Boston, and in turn, more opportunities to clean the glass for the Jazz.
That has me looking at the rebounding prop for Utah center Walker Kessler. The Jazz big man has bounced back and forth between starting and the bench, but he’s been an effective rebounder either way, averaging 7.5 rebounds per game this season.
However, as a starter, that number bumps up to 8.3 per contest. With Lauri Markkanen out, he should be getting even more minutes. Kessler hauled down 11 boards in Utah's last game and has grabbed nine or more rebounds in five of his last nine games overall.
With the Celtics using a deeper bench and losing some punch in the paint for this matchup, I like Kessler to put in some work on the glass and go Over his rebounding total tonight. I'd also consider playing Kessler 10+ rebounds at +190.
My best bet: Walker Kessler Over 8.5 rebounds (+114 at FanDuel)
Celtics vs Jazz same-game parlay
Walker Kessler Over 8.5 rebounds
Jrue Holiday Over 4.5 rebounds
Jayson Tatum Over 3.5 threes
Kessler won’t be the only player cleaning the glass tonight. With the Celtics missing three of their top four rebounders, I like Jrue Holiday to get in on the rebounding action.
Holiday is already one of the better rebounding guards in the NBA, averaging 5.6 per game. His rebounding total for this one is sitting at 4.5 and our Covers prop projections have him projected for 5.5 tonight.
Meanwhile, the Jazz struggle with their perimeter defense and Jayson Tatum has been on fire from beyond the arc lately, draining 51.1% of his threes over the last six games. Let's make Tatum Over 3.5 threes the final leg of this SGP.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Celtics vs Jazz spread and Over/Under analysis
The Celtics opened this matchup as 6-point road favorites and saw the early action with the line moving up to Boston -7 before the injury report spilled out.
Boston still boasts plenty of firepower with Tatum, Holiday, and Derrick White, while Utah has the third-worst defensive rating in the NBA this season.
One of the areas the Jazz struggle the most is on the perimeter, where they rank 29th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and dead last in opponent-made threes per game.
Meanwhile, it was the total that moved the most with the rash of injuries to hit this game. It hit the board at 232.5 and has been bet down to 228.5. But maybe this number is now low enough to think about the Over.
Additionally, Utah's offense tends to thrive at home. Exploiting Boston's tendency to allow a high volume of 3-point attempts, the Jazz might find success from beyond the arc. I slightly favor the Over in this one.
Celtics vs Jazz betting trend to know
The Celtics have covered the first-half spread in 47 of their last 67 games (+24.6 units). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Jazz.
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Celtics vs Jazz game info
| Location: | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT |
| Date: | Tuesday, March 12, 2024 |
| Tip-off: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | KJZZ, NBC Sports Boston |
Celtics vs Jazz latest injuries
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