76ers vs. Celtics Prediction, Injuries & Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 2, 5/3

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics are set to square off in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Wednesday, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 PM ET. In Game 1, the 76ers edged out the Celtics in a hard-fought 119-115 victory, improving to 1-0 on the series. Wednesday, the Celtics will look to even up the pivotal series while the 76ers look to take a more commanding two-game lead.

Below, we’ll provide our top 76ers vs. Celtics predictions and explain how you can bet on the matchup and qualify for Bet365 Sportsbook’s new user promotion worth $200 in bonus bet credits.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VS. BOSTON CELTICS PREDICTION: Celtics -9.5 (-110) at Bet365 Sportsbook

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Is Joel Embiid Playing in Game 2?

The Philadelphia 76ers’ win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 was all the more impressive due to the fact that superstar center Joel Embiid did not participate. He is currently nursing a sprained LCL, which he sustained during Game 3 of Philadelphia’s first-round series against the Nets. Typically, these injuries take a few weeks to recover fully; while the severity of Embiid’s injury is not publicly known, a grade one sprain typically requires 2-3 weeks to recover, while grade two or three sprains can take one or two months to be back in action. New reports indicate that Embiid received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his knee, which is intended to speed up recovery in hopes he can be available soon. While this is far from a sure fix, it may help Embiid return more quickly; still, it’s incredibly unlikely the 76ers have him for Game 2.

Coach Doc Rivers said that – though the superstar was shooting with the team at practice this week – a timetable for his return has not been discussed. The coach says that Embiid has not yet run, and that his mobility is greatly affected by the injury.

The 76ers likely have more information internally than they’re letting on, but the noncommittal nature of Rivers’ press statements speaks volumes. Considering the nature of the injury and Embiid’s health issues in the past, Philadelphia is likely planning to continue through the playoffs without the help of their All-Star big man. He will likely be listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game, and it truly is doubtful that the 76ers have Embiid on the court. If the injury is on the milder end, they may have him toward the end of the playoffs.

Besides Embiid, two additional players were listed on the 76ers vs. Celtics injury report for Game 1: Danilo Gallinari – who is still recovering from an ACL surgery – and Jaylen Brown, who suffered a facial fracture earlier but did not miss Game 1. Expect Gallinari to miss Game 2 while Brown suits up, possibly with a “questionable” or “probable” designation but no real limitations.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Game 2 Predictions

Despite the fact that the 76ers played without Embiid – a key cog in their offensive machine – they still managed an impressive offensive showing in Game 1. Five players recorded 10 or more points, three recorded five-plus rebounds and five recorded multiple assists. The 76ers were led by James Harden, who finished with an incredibly impressive stat line of 45 points, 1 rebound and 6 assists. Harden was unusually efficient in Game 1, posting a 56.7% rate from the field and knocking down exactly half of his three-pointers. He was also 4-4 from the foul line and chipped in a pair of steals.

Harden was assisted by a pair of solid performances from Tyrese Maxey (26 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 4 steals) and Tobias Harris (18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal).

On the other side, the Celtics offense was more evenly-distributed, though it was primarily led by three players: Jayson Tatum (39 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block), Jaylen Brown (23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal) and Malcolm Brogdon (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists).

Coming into Game 2, both teams will have a better idea of their opponent’s game plan. As a result, we will likely see Boston look to take advantage of Philadelphia’s lack of Embiid. At full health, these two teams are evenly-matched; while the 76ers were able to edge out the Celtics, we don’t see that as a likely outcome in Game 2.

With the Celtics at full health and the 76ers missing perhaps their most important offensive player, it would be quite the feat if Doc Rivers is able to put together a game plan that produces a win. We think the trio of Tatum, Brown and Brogdon (off the bench) will show up again in Game 2; however, we’re doubtful that Harden can reproduce his Game 1 performance for the 76ers. If Al Horford – who had a disappointing Game 1 – can make his presence felt, the Celtics may be able to run away with this one.

With incredibly unfavorable money line odds (-450), Celtics backers may need to take them on the point spread to return any value; the 9.5-point spread (-110) is tough, but without a team-carrying performance from Harden, the Embiid-less 76ers may find it difficult to score points. As a result, our top 76ers vs. Celtics prediction is for the Celtics to cover their -9.5-point spread and cash in on their (-110) spread odds.

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Game 2 Best Bets & Player Prop Predictions for 76ers vs. Celtics Including Tobias Harris & James Harden

Besides taking the Celtics on the spread, there are some additional player prop lines that we think can return great value for bettors. The first of these is Tobias Harris’ total points prop. So far through the NBA Playoffs, Harris has found another level to his play. He’s averaged 19.8 points per game, more than his regular-season average. We’d love Harris’ total points prop at somewhere around 14-15, but we’d back it all the way up to 18.5.

Another player prop we like is James Harden’s total points prop; however, unlike Harris, we like the under for this market. His total points prop is heavily affected by his 45-point outlier performance in Game 1, which was largely a byproduct of shooting with an unsustainable efficiency (over 50% from both the field and beyond the arc). In 2023, Harden averaged 21 points per game; over his last five games, he’s scored 45, 17, 21, 8 and 23 points. With his prop in the low twenties, there’s no value to be had in the over – look for Boston to game plan around stopping Harden, keeping him from surpassing his total points prop and cashing for under bettors.

Finally, our top 76ers vs. Celtics prediction involving player props is Jaylen Brown’s points/rebounds/assists prop, currently set at 33.5 (over -120) on Bet365. Over Brown’s last four games, he’s totaled 38, 47, 39 and 33 points, rebounds and assists. He would have surpassed his Game 2 prop in three of those four, coming one stat shy in the only other. On the year, Brown has averaged 37 combined points, rebounds and assists, so we think this prop is low. Look for Brown to be heavily involved in the Celtics’ offense (as he has been all season) and for him to easily surpass this prop and cash for backers.

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Latest 76ers vs. Celtics Lines, Spreads & Odds for Game 2 at Bet365

Here are the latest Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics betting odds, lines and spreads for Game 2, per Bet365 Sportsbook:

• Money line: Philadelphia 76ers (+350) vs. Boston Celtics (-450)
• Point spread: Philadelphia 76ers +9.5 (-110) vs. Boston Celtics -9.5 (-110)
• Point total: Over 218 (-110) vs. Under 218 (-110)

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