Denver Nuggets at Boston Celtics Game Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions
First Game Following Roster Shuffle at NBA Trade Deadline
Retooled Celtics on Six-Game Win Streak
The Boston Celtics have started to hit their groove heading into the halfway point of the season. They look to keep it going when they play host to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
Boston takes a six-game winning streak into the first game for both teams after the trade deadline. How will these roster changes impact the game?
Let’s take a closer look at this NBA game betting preview and figure out which side is the best bet versus the NBA odds.
Nuggets at Celtics Game Information
- Game: Denver Nuggets (30-24) at Boston Celtics (31-25)
- Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
- Day/Time: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Television: NBA TV
Celtics Have Stayed Aggressive
The Celtics are riding with a bit of momentum these days as they’ve won six in a row. On top of that, they saw a number of players come and go at the trade deadline, which they hope will give them a boost.
Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando were all traded. In return, the Celtics got Derrick White and Daniel Theis.
A lot of those moves won’t impact the main stars of this team like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The duo averages 49.4 points combined.
Boston will continue lean heavily on them, although the hope is that White can offer some support in the backcourt and Theis can bring some toughness (back) to the roster.
Nuggets Revolve Around Jokic
The Nuggets have been topsy-turvy, winning their last two games after losing their previous three. It has been a rough road for Denver, though it has had one constant: Nikola Jokic.
The center is still dominating all over the floor, leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. The reigning league MVP may be forced to take on even more responsibility with Monte Morris ruled out for the game.
Guard Austin Rivers, has also been hit with an injury ahead of the game but looks like he’s more likely to play than not.
Nuggets vs. Celtics Head-to-Head
Boston has dominated the series against the Nuggets. The Celtics hold a 57-37 record overall and are currently sitting on a three-game winning streak against Denver.
The teams have not played since April 11, 2021, a game that Boston won 105-87.
Nuggets vs. Celtics Prediction
The total is currently set at 217 in the sportsbook and under might be the way to go with your NBA picks. Boston has watched the under cash out in nine of their last 12 games overall.
Their strong play lately has helped the Celtics hold their opponents to under 100 points in all but one of their last six games.
The over may seem enticing considering that the Nuggets have scored 124 points and 132 points in their last two games, but Boston’s defense has been at the top of the league during this resurgence.
It’s hard to imagine these teams coming out and going for far over 217 total points, especially with all these roster changes made recently.
