I fell just a bit short last night. I had the Mavs to cover against the Pacers, but unfortunately, it was a closer game than I expected. I was correct that Cooper Flagg would go off, considering the hard foul from the first time the two teams met. The Mavs were up by three to five points for most of the final two minutes. PJ Washington got a big rebound with the team up by three, and he missed the first free throw. Not a big deal; he had a second. He missed that, too. The Pacers couldn’t get a good three-point shot to try to tie the game and send it to overtime, and didn’t foul before the final whistle. Let’s hope that I can avenge yesterday’s loss tonight as the Celtics play the 76ers.
The Boston Celtics are 8-2 for the season and actually look better than I expected. We knew the Celtics would at least be good – there is too much talent on the roster for them to be a complete disaster. However, they’ve come out of the gate looking much more competent than I expected. Paul George looks like he has turned back the clock a bit, and his defense has been a welcome addition to the team. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard provide a strong backcourt for the team.
If there is any spot on the team where the Celtics are weak, it is likely the center position. Sure, Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta are solid players, but neither will really strike fear into the opposition. Their roster construction has worked out, and Jayson Tatum has played well. If you want to poke a hole in the Celtics’ early success, it really isn’t that hard. Here is who they’ve beaten this season: Knicks, Bulls, Nets, Bulls, Magic, Bucks, Hornets, and Bucks. The Knicks had some early struggles, and the Magic have been injured. Everyone else is going to struggle to make the play-in tournament. Their two losses, both by nine or more points, came against the Pistons and Rockets.
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The Philadelphia 76ers are basically going all-in this season. They have LeBron James for two seasons, and they really need to show progress this year. They added Jaylen Brown in the offseason, so clearly this is a huge game, as it will be the first time they face his former squad. Normally, teams that have a really strong lineup take some time to come together, but for now, the 76ers look great. They are 9-2 for the season and have gone 4-1 in home games.
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The biggest surprise about this team is that Tyrese Maxey has been balling out even with Brown and James added into the mix. One thing that doesn’t surprise me at all is that James is leading the team in assists. It makes the most sense for him to orchestrate the offense and pick his spots to score. Maxey has been efficient when the other stars are off the court, and there isn’t much of a drop-off in production. It is worth doing the same exercise for the 76ers as we did for the Celtics. They’ve beaten the Knicks, Cavs, Bucks, Pacers, Knicks, Hornets, Bulls, Pistons, and Bulls. Their losses were to the Pistons and Cavs.
Early in the season, Tatum and Brown were discussing their relationship a lot. Brown seems to have a significantly larger chip on his shoulder, and I expect him to be very aggressive in this game. His overs will be heavily wagered on, but I don’t have a ton of confidence in them. I think this is one where the team will come into focus first. Both teams are reportedly fully healthy. I really am shocked the Celtics are favorites on the road. Give me the 76ers moneyline. Philly is better, at home, and even with the Celtics wanting playoff revenge, they just aren’t a better team. Both sides will be motivated, but give me the 76ers.
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