For the second time in the 2025-26 season, the Boston Celtics are set to take on the Philadelphia 76ers, only this time in an NBA Cup Group Play matchup.
The Celtics dropped their season opener against Philly, blowing a lead in the final minutes.
Philly has gotten off to a great start, going 4-0 this season, and it’s set as a favorite at home against the 2-3 Celtics. Boston started the season with three straight losses, but it has beaten the New Orleans Pelicans and Cleveland Cavaliers in back-to-back games.
The C’s finally started to get things going from beyond the arc on Wednesday against Cleveland, and they’ll look to keep that going against a Philly team that has allowed a ton of points this season, ranking 25th in opponent points per game and 26th in defensive rating.
Let’s dive into a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for this NBA Cup Group Play matchup.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Moneyline
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Celtics Injury Report
76ers Injury Report
Note: These NBA prop bet picks were made before odds were released for Friday’s game. They are suggestions based on past player performance.
Celtics Best NBA Prop Bet
With Jayson Tatum out of the lineup, Jaylen Brown has gone to another level, averaging 26.8 points per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from 3.
He has 23 or more points in four of his five games, including a 25-point showing against Philly in the season opener. On Wednesday, Brown put up 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he’s the clear No. 1 option in the Boston offense.
I expect a ton of touches for Brown against a Philly team that is allowing 123.8 points per game – which is good for 25th in the league. I’d back Brown to reach 25 or more points on Friday night.
These teams combined for 233 points on opening night, and Boston has started to find a better offensive groove since then.
So far in the 2025-26 season, both squads are in the top 10 in the league in offensive rating while Philly is one of the worst squads in terms of opponent points per game.
The Sixers and Celtics are playing with a ton of pace (19th and 29th in the NBA) this season, but they are No. 3 and No. 4 in 3-pointers made per game while the Sixers lead the NBA in 3-point percentage.
I expect this game to be a little more uptempo with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe leading the Philly offense, and there are a lot of positives to take away from back-to-back 122-plus scoring performances from Boston.
Since point differential matters in the NBA Cup, a blowout may not hurt this total either, as teams are going to want to run up the score as much as they can. Plus, Philly has gone OVER the total in all four of its games this season.
Pick: OVER 231.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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