Storied rivals hit the court for a Christmas Day matchup on Monday when the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers meet for the 298th time in the regular season. The Celtics are 165-133 in regular-season meetings and 43-31 against the Lakers in the playoffs. Boston (22-6) is in first place in the Eastern Conference after a 145-108 rout of the Clippers on Saturday. The Lakers (15-14) are in 10th place in the West, but they won the recent NBA In-Season Tournament. Boston won by four points in overtime in both meetings between these teams last season.
Tip-off is at 5 p.m. ET in Los Angeles. Boston is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Celtics vs. Lakers odds according to SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 234.5 points. Before making any Lakers vs. Celtics picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 9 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 101-52 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Lakers and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Lakers vs. Celtics:
Celtics vs. Lakers spread: Celtics -2.5
Celtics vs. Lakers over/under: 234.5 points
Celtics vs. Lakers money line: Boston -142, Los Angeles +120
BOS: Is 16-18 ATS in non-conference games since 2022.
LAL: Is 11-9 ATS in its last 20 games as a home underdog.
Celtics vs. Lakers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is 14-12-2 against the spread this season and has been favored in all but one game. The Celtics are in the top six in scoring on both ends, ranking third on the defensive end (109.8 points per game) and sixth on offense (118.9). They’re also third in rebounding (46.9 per game), and opponents are shooting 44.7% against them, the fourth-lowest in the league. The Celtics have won seven of their past eight games, with the only loss coming at Golden State in overtime.
A talented lineup led by Jayson Tatum (26.8 points) and Jaylen Brown (22.7) should be able to outscore a Lakers team averaging less than 114 points (18th in the NBA). Center Kristaps Porzingis chips in 19.2 points and blocks 1.8 shots per game. The Celtics are tied for fourth with 6.3 blocks per game. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday combine for 29.1 points and 9.8 assists per game, and White shoots 42.9% from 3-point range. See which team to pick here.
Why the Lakers can cover
Los Angeles has been in a funk, but Anthony Davis and LeBron James will be eager to shine in this marquee matchup on the big stage. Davis led the way to that NBA In-Season Tournament championship with a 41-point, 20-rebound performance in a 123-109 victory against the Pacers in the final. James was named tournament MVP after scoring 26.4 points per game and averaging 8.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists James is L.A.’s top scorer at 25.2 per game, with Davis right behind at 24.3.
Davis pulls down 12.4 rebounds per contest, the most in the NBA, and James averages 7.3 assists (10th). D’Angelo Russell averages 6.3 assists, and he and Austin Reaves combine for 30.6 points per game. The Celtics’ defensive weakness is holding down the perimeter, as they rank 16th in opponent 3-point percentage (37.1). See which team to pick here.
How to make Celtics vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 224 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Celtics, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 101-52 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
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The post Lakers vs. Celtics prediction, odds, spread, time: 2023 NBA Christmas Day picks, best bets from proven model appeared first on WorldNewsEra.