The Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings are teams with solid NBA odds, sitting at the top of their respective conferences. However, with the playoffs nearing, the Celtics are taking a step back, compared to the Kings hitting their stride. The teams will meet on Tuesday in a measuring stick matchup.
The Celtics are nearing the end of a six-game road trip, losing the Utah Jazz 118-117 on Saturday. Boston is dealing with some injuries, which could be causing this slump. The Kings also played the Jazz in their previous game, losing 128-120 in the first of a back-to-back on Monday.
Celtics Stumbling With Playoffs on the Horizon
There have been a lot of factors in why the Celtics have gradually slid down the Eastern Conference standings. They had spent most of the season being the No.1 seed but now find themselves in second and just a half-game over the Phildpehia 76ers, who are creeping in.
The Celtics clinch their spot in the #NBAPlayoffs 👀
📲 https://t.co/dMyaWGoea7 pic.twitter.com/QfPp3Zt8fp
— NBA (@NBA) March 19, 2023
Boston will finish its six-game road trip against the Kings, so far going 3-2. One loss was to the team with the second-worst record in the NBA, the Houston Rockets. Compared to other teams, this slump does not seem severe, but there are a lot of expectations for the Celtics, who are falling behind. However, their NBA lines have not changed much, being favored in every game but one over the previous 10, while going 4-6 against the spread (ATS).
It’s not breaking NBA news, but injuries are a big part of the Celtics’ recent struggles. Three starters have regularly been absent from the lineup, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Robert Williams III. That led to Blake Griffin getting another surprise start against the Jazz. These injuries have hindered the Celtics’ offense, but most importantly, their defense. They have had the second-best net rating throughout the season, but during the last 10 games, it is 11th.
Kings Might Be Serious
It might be time to start taking the Kings seriously. It will be the franchise’s first season since 2005-06 with a winning record and possibly the best offensive rating ever recorded. On top of that, Sacramento is now in a tight race for the No.2 seed in the Western Conference but will likely end up with at least one home-court advantage in the first round.
For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Sacramento Kings will not have a losing record.
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/S8n9Mg93ju
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 16, 2023
The team has come a long way under head coach Mike Brown in his first year. He has created an offense around Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox that few teams can keep up with.
The Kings’ success has changed their NBA title odds, but maybe not to where they should be listed. BetUS has them at +5000 to win the Finals and +2000 to make it out of the West, putting them under teams with worse records. Adding a future Sacramento championship bet to your NBA picks may not be realistic, but it’s not impossible, given how the team plays.
No one can keep up with Sacramento on offense; defense is the biggest issue. However, the NBA is trending away from championship teams needing top defenses, with offenses playing at historic levels. The Kings could keep this momentum in the playoffs and make a run.
Celtics vs Kings Game Injuries
Celtics vs Kings Head-to-Head
The Celtics have beaten the Kings in three straight meetings, two coming last season. This season’s game was in Boston, with the home team winning 122-104 on Nov. 25.
Celtics vs Kings Game Information
- Game: Celtics (49-23) vs Kings (43-28)
- Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
- Day/Time: Tuesday, March 21st, 10:00 p.m. EST
- Celtics vs Kings Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Celtics vs Kings Betting Lines
Celtics vs Kings Picks and Prediction
While both teams are super talented and likely to be important in the playoffs, they are trending in opposite directions. The Kings are starting to believe this could be a special team, while the Celtics are slowing down after a historic start to the season.
This might give an advantage to the Kings, who are 7-3 over the last 10 games, compared to the Celtics, 5-5. Being at home could also help the Kings take over, if not winning, at least keeping the game close.
The Sacramento Kings are listed at +163 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Kings, you have a chance to win $163. The Boston Celtics is -190, offering a chance to win $53 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Sacramento Kings a 38.02% chance to win, with the Boston Celtics at 65.52%.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place
Celtics vs Kings Trends
Celtics vs Kings Edge
Celtics vs Kings Results
Celtics vs Kings Game Summary
Kings vs Celtics Previous Game (Nov 25, 2022)
There is every chance the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings could meet early in the playoffs next year, which makes Friday’s contest even more exciting.
NBA odds have the Celtics at -7½, which is a fair line given their dominance of the Eastern Conference.
