Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction 4/24/2026 Today’s NBA Picks

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers duke it out in Game 3 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday night. Here’s a Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Prediction. This article will include a Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Pick.

Boston Celtics Betting Preview 

The Boston Celtics must have been brimming with confidence following their massive win in the series opener, but the pressure is now on the Celtics after they got routed by the 76ers in a 111-97 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday. Jaylen Brown led the way in scoring with 36 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 11 of 24 shooting, while Jayson Tatum added 19 points with 14 rebounds and nine assists, but no other player finished in double figures in scoring.

As a team, the Celtics shot just 39 percent from the field and 13 of 50 from the 3-point line as they worked hard to cut a 13-point deficit to just two points midway through the fourth quarter before they went ice-cold and got outscored by 20-8 in the final 5:39 to lose by double digits at home. Derrick White had a quiet game of just eight points on three of 12 shooting, while Payton Pritchard finished with just four points on two of eight shooting off the bench. 

Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview 

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers really needed to respond after getting humbled in Game 1 and they did just that with a great bounce-back performance in Game 2 to level the series at 1-1. VJ Edgecombe led the team with 30 points and 10 rebounds on 12 of 20 shooting; Tyrese Maxey added 29 points with nine assists, while Paul George chipped in with 19 points on seven of 13 shooting.

As a team, the 76ers shot 48 percent from the field and 19 of 39 from the 3-point line as they poured in 37 points in the second quarter to open up a 13-point lead, but this win came down to the 76ers’ defense as the game was up for grabs halfway through the fourth quarter before the 76ers restricted the Celtics to just eight points in the final 6:24 to pull away late and secure the crucial road win.

Why the Philadelphia 76ers will win

• The underdogs have won four of the 76ers’ last five Eastern Conference First Round games.
• The Celtics have lost six of their last seven games at Xfinity Mobile Arena following a loss.
• The home team has covered the spread in six of the Celtics’ last seven games.
• The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in six of their last eight playoff games as road favorites.

Why the Boston Celtics will win

• The Celtics have won each of their last 15 games as road favorites after losing as favorites.
• The 76ers have lost each of their last six games against Atlantic Division opponents after winning as underdogs.
• The Celtics have covered the spread in 17 of their last 18 games as road favorites following a loss.
• The 76ers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as home underdogs against Eastern Conference opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Each of the 76ers’ last 12 Friday games has gone UNDER the total points line.
• Each of the Celtics’ last four road games following a home loss have gone UNDER the total points line.

Philadelphia 76ers Player Facts

• Kelly Oubre Jr. has recorded 3+ steals in three consecutive appearances—the equal-longest active streak of any player in the league.
• Adem Bona ranks 9th amongst qualified players for blocks per 36 minutes (2.4) this season.

Boston Celtics Player Facts

• Derrick White ranks 5th amongst qualified players for FT% (90.2%) this season.
• Payton Pritchard is one of only eight players to have scored 35+ points off the bench in a game this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The 76ers rank 29th in the league for Q3 win percentage this season (36.6%).
• The 76ers rank 3rd in the league for opponent steals per game this season (7.3).
• The Celtics rank 1st in the league for turnovers per game this season (12.4).
• The Celtics rank 30th in the league for free throw attempts per game this season (18.7).

Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction

The Celtics enter this contest with a full squad, while the 76ers are still sweating on the availability of Joel Embiid, who is a game-time decision with that abdomen injury. The Celtics were absolutely dominant in the series opener but perhaps it caused them to get too comfortable, as they weren’t nearly as good on defense to start the game and they just could only muster 20 points in the fourth quarter.

The momentum is now with the 76ers, who return home with the series tied at 1-1 and they could get a big boost if Embiid is able to make his return. The 76ers were good enough to steal home-court advantage in the last game, but I expect the Celtics to bounce back here with a win and cover on the road to regain control.

Peter Tran's Pick: Boston -7.5