Philadelphia (1-3) at Boston (3-1)
When: Wednesday, May 9th 2018
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Boston PK/205
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown needed to find a spark for his team in order not to get swept out of the Eastern Conference semifinals at home. He found it in backup shooting guard T.J. McConnell on Monday. Brown benched starting forward Robert Covington, who was a combined 0-for-14 in Games 1 and 3, and was rewarded with a spirited effort from McConnell. The Sixers will look to extend their best-of-seven series with the Boston Celtics when they battle in Game 5 Wednesday night at TD Garden. McConnell had a career-high 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in only his second start of the season in leading Philadelphia to a 103-92 victory in Game 4. Dario Saric led the team with 25 points to help the 76ers stave off elimination. Philly will need a similar effort to stay in the series, as no team in NBA history (0-129) has come back to win a series when down 3-0. McConnell is an undrafted third-year guard that has started a total of 68 games over the past two seasons, and is a fan favorite in Philadelphia for his hustle and court leadership. Boston had five players score in double-figures, but turned the ball over 15 times and were outscored in the paint 52-30. The Celtics won and covered the spread as underdogs in the first two games of the series, and find themselves slight dogs once again heading into Game 5.
Ben Simmons totaled 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, and Joel Embiid finished with 15 points and 13 boards for the 76ers, and have the talent to pull off the impossible. “We have nothing to lose,” McConnell told TNT after the game. “Our coach told us … the team that’s winning (3-0) is 129-0, so we really have nothing to lose. We’re playing our hearts out and just trying to be that one team.” The Sixers shot 40.4% (38-of-94) from the floor and outrebounded the C’s 53-43. Saric’s 25 points are the most he’s scored since late March. JJ Redick scored in single-digits (seven points) for the first time since March 24th and was just 1-of-7 from 3-point territory.
Jayson Tatum had 20 points and Marcus Morris 17 for a Celtics team that is now 1-4 on the road in the playoffs. Boston won the first two games of the series at home before earning a 101-98 overtime road victory in Game 3 on Saturday. The Celtics made 41.3 (31-of-75) of their field-goal attempts including 11-of-32 from beyond the arc. Point guard Terry Rozier, who shined in the two home games (49 points, 11-of-18 3’s), scored 29 points in the two games at Wells Fargo Center and was just 3-for-14 from long range.
Boston struggled to find their shooting touch on Monday, but have still been the better ‘team’ in this series. They were terrific at home to open the series and are 6-0 at TD Garden this postseason. Look for Boston to finish-off the Sixers here and prepare for LeBron James and company once again.
Pick: Celtics +1.5
- 76ers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games following a ATS win.
- 76ers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- 76ers are 14-5 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win.
- 76ers are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 Wednesday games.
- 76ers are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games overall.
- 76ers are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 vs. Eastern Conference.
- 76ers are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- 76ers are 35-17 ATS in their last 52 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- 76ers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.
- 76ers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Conference Semifinals games.
- Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Celtics are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 home games.
- Celtics are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Conference Semifinals games.
- Celtics are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Wednesday games.
- Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
- Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Celtics are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Celtics are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Celtics are 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 games following a ATS loss.
- Celtics are 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 games following a straight up loss.
- Celtics are 48-22-2 ATS in their last 72 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in 76ers last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 road games.
- Over is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 35-15-1 in 76ers last 51 Wednesday games.
- Over is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 14-3 in Celtics last 17 home games.
- Over is 13-3 in Celtics last 16 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Over is 8-2 in Celtics last 10 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 12-3-1 in Celtics last 16 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 7-2 in Celtics last 9 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-4 in Celtics last 15 overall.
- Over is 11-4 in Celtics last 15 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings in Boston.
- 76ers are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
- Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
