The Philadelphia 76ers host the Boston Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center in match 6 of the series. The 76ers have done extraordinarily well and stand on the brink of pulling off one of the shocks of the season. Can they win again on Thursday and complete the job? Let’s take a closer look with our latest NBA betting picks.
What a series it has been so far between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. Just when you think it’s going to go one way, it swings back the other. And after seemingly taking control of the series after Match 3, the Celtics now find themselves drinking in last chance saloon. Can they turn it around again?
Well, the best NBA playoffs betting sites certainly haven’t written the Celtics off yet. In the latest betting to win the series, the 76ers are the favorites at -175. The Celtics are +155. Those odds aren’t saying this is a done deal. And if the Celtics can level the series on Thursday, they will no doubt go favorites again.
In the betting to win the NBA Championship, the best NBA betting sites now list the Denver Nuggets (+290) as their favorites to win it.
The Nuggets lead the Suns 3-2 in their series, and with Nikola Jokić in inspired form at the moment, they are now as short as -420 to win their series against Phoenix. The Suns are +350 to win the final two matches and turn the series around. They are in the exact same position as the Celtics, who are +155, highlighting the perceived difference in class between the sides.
Behind the Nuggets in the betting to win the 2023 NBA Championship is the LA Lakers at +300, and then comes the 76ers at +350, with the Celtics next at +375.
There is then a huge gap in the odds before we get to the Phoenix Suns at +1000. The rest of the betting can be found below on our NBA Championship odds table. The bookmakers listed on our odds table are some of the best NBA betting sites. More details about them can be found on our online sportsbook reviews page.
| Betting to Win 2023 NBA Championship |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | +290 | +290 | +290 |
| LA Lakers | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Boston Celtics | +375 | +375 | +375 |
| Phoenix Suns | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Golden State Warriors | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Miami Heat | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| New York Knicks | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
The Boston Celtics have been one of the betting favorites to win the 2023 NBA Championship for just about the whole season. They went into this series as heavy odds on favorites, but it hasn’t gone according to plan.
Philadelphia pulled off a shock win in the opening match at TD Garden, beating the Celtics 119-115. The Celtics then leveled the series up with what was a statement win in match 2.
The series then switched to Philadelphia, and after the Celtics won the third match by 12 points (114-102), it looked like the remainder of the contest was just a formality. Not a bit of it though. The 76ers then won a tight fourth match 116-115 to level the series at 2-2. That match went to overtime, and it wasn’t a huge shock. Afterall, Philadelphia was at home.
Match 5 was the fixture that really blew the series wide open and put the 76ers well and truly on the front foot. Yet another 30-points haul from Joel Embiid saw the underdogs go to Massachusetts and win 115-103. The result leaves the defending Eastern Conference champions on the verge of elimination. And what makes this worse for the Celtics, is that the result never really looked in doubt after the 1st period.
So where does this leave us now? Well, Boston has to travel to Philadelphia and win just to keep the series alive. While from the perspective of the 76ers, this is their first of two chances at winning the series.
The best NBA betting sites are making the Celtics the favorites to win match 6. Boston is -123 on the moneyline, with Philadelphia at +103.
On the handicap line, Boston is giving away 2.5 points. Starting from -2.5, the Celtics are -110. The 76ers are also -110 from a +2.5 start. Finally, the total points spread is set at 214, with over and under both at -110.
For us, the match looks like a 50/50 call. When it comes to making picks, we have to weigh up all the pros and cons. And our conclusion is that when things get tough in sport, the best sides usually find something and come through. Yes, the Celtics have struggled in this series, but how many would argue they are not the better side in general?
In match 6, even though they lost, Jayson Tatum (36 points) and Jaylen Brown (24) both performed. There wasn’t much from elsewhere, and that’s probably what did for Boston.
But when it comes to the crunch, these guys deliver. We think it will be tight, but we are just siding with Boston to win. So for our betting pick, we are going for the Celtics to cover the spread.
About the Author
Dean is primarily a fan of English football who regularly attends games, and combining his hobby with his job, he is now a full-time sports betting writer. Rather than going down the educational route into sports journalism, Dean learned his trade by writing for his English football betting website since 2009, where he now boasts nearly 15 years of experience. After writing about football daily for years, Dean has taken the skills he learned and now uses them to great effect writing for numerous affiliate sites across the internet. A general all-around sports enthusiast with a passion for English football and cricket, Dean is also well able to turn his hand to writing about golf, tennis, F1, boxing, snooker, darts, and North American sports. Combining his extensive knowledge and experience with British humor and wit, Dean has developed into a trusted voice within the sports betting industry.
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