The NBA Playoffs continue Monday night in Game 3 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. The NBA Playoff odds for the game have the 76ers favored by 2 points. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 pm start time and it will be televised live on TNT. The spread shows that bookmakers have a prediction of a win for the 76ers at home.
Picks: Philadelphia was able to steal home court advantage from the Celtics in Game 2 with a gritty, low-scoring win. Now the series heads to Philly for a few games and the 76ers can take a huge lead. Let's face it, the Celtics are banged up and have injuries that Philadelphia will probably expose. We know Ray Allen isn't right. We also know Paul Pierce is playing with an MCL injury in his left knee as well. The 76ers haven't lost at home in the playoffs yet, sporting a 3-0 record after knocking out the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round. It will be the first time Philly has hosted a second round playoff game since 2003. Andre Iguodala has been playing defense well on Pierce and will have to continue to take charge offensively for the squad. The 76ers like to win games in ugly fashion, playing defense, rebounding and somehow winning while only scoring consistently in the 80s. Boston routinely has been the same type of team but somehow disappeared offensively in the fourth quarter during the second game of this series. Rajon Rondo struggled and Kevin Garnett couldn't knock down his shots. Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young have been banged up and have been toughing it out. It's going to be a defensive type of game and turnovers will prove to be crucial in the contest.
Prediction: I like the 76ers in this contest. They're a gritty team and I'm concerned about the Celtics moving forward with their injuries, especially to their best offensive threat in Pierce. Rondo to me was a disappointment in the second game of this series, even though he had 13 assists. I thought in the fourth quarter he struggled to keep the offense going at a pace that suited the Celtics. That should and probably will change tonight. Each team won by a single point in the opening two games of the series, so no surprise on the spread here. However, I think Philly will be juiced up for this game and they'll win making free throws down the stretch in the fourth. 76ers 88, Celtics 83
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