76ers vs Celtics Predictions, Best Bets & Injury News for Game 7

• The 76ers are 8-point underdogs in Boston for Game 7 against the Celtics
• Boston is 1-4 ATS over the last five games of this series
• See my 76ers vs Celtics predictions and best bets, plus the latest injury news for Game 7, below

The Philadelphia 76ers travel to face the Boston Celtics in a winner-take-all Game 7 of their Eastern Conference First Round series tonight. After Philadelphia kept its playoff hopes alive with a decisive 106-93 victory in Game 6, all the momentum hangs in the balance. This monumental elimination showdown tips off at TD Garden at 7:30 PM ET, with national broadcast coverage provided by NBC and Peacock.

Despite Boston dropping the last two games, online sportsbooks expect them to prevail in the latest NBA odds. The Celtics are currently laying 8-points, up a point and a half from when opening odds were released, and I’m of the opinion that the Boston love has gone too far.

Keep reading for my favorite 76ers vs Celtics predictions and best bets, plus the latest injury news for Game 7, below.

76ers vs Celtics Injury News for Game 7

Both teams will be at full strength for Game 7 in their respective NBA starting lineups. Joel Embiid is the lone rotational player on the injury report for either side, but he’s listed as probable after playing 34+ minutes in Games 4, 5 and 6. Embiid is a big reason why the Sixers can potentially pull off the upset of an NBA Championship odds contender, as he’s currently averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in the series.

76ers vs Celtics Predictions for Game 7

My favorite bet tonight is the 76ers +8, which is a wager the trends definitely support. The Celtics are a dismal 1-4 against the spread in their last five playoff games. Conversely, the 76ers have consistently risen to the level of top-tier competition, and laying this many points against Philadelphia would be a trap.

I expect a grueling, physical contest that stays close until the final buzzer. Taking the points offers massive value in what projects to be a one-possession game down the stretch.

76ers vs Celtics Playoff Stats

The most glaring disparity per the series stats is on the glass. Boston boasts a dominant 53.8% Total Rebound Percentage, translating those boards into 15.7 second-chance points per game. For Philadelphia to cover the spread, Embiid must assert his dominance in the paint and single-handedly close this rebounding gap.

While Boston has maintained a slight edge in overall series aggregates—averaging 107.7 points to Philadelphia’s 102.8—the Sixers cracked the code against Boston’s perimeter defense in Game 6. By leaning on elite ball security (committing just 9.8 turnovers per game in the series) and dictating a slower half-court tempo, Philadelphia enters TD Garden with a proven blueprint for success.

Game 7s are notoriously tense, half-court defensive battles. The Under has cashed in all three of the Celtics home playoff games. Boston operates at a pace of 96.6 possessions per game — the third-slowest among all 16 playoff teams — while Philadelphia checks in at 96.0, the second-slowest. With neither squad pushing transition to gift easy fast-break points, this has all the makings of a classic playoff rock fight.

76ers vs Celtics Best Bets for Game 7

• Joel Embiid Over 8.5 Rebounds (+112 at Bet365)

Moving over to the player props maket, where getting plus-money on Embiid to grab 9 boards in an elimination game is tremendous value per our NBA player prop analyzer. Rebounding will dictate the pace, and Embiid will be tasked with locking down the defensive glass to limit second-chance opportunities.

76ers vs Celtics Odds for Game 7

Odds as of May 2. Claim the Bet365 promo code to bet on the NBA Playoffs tonight.

76ers vs Celtics Betting Splits for Game 7

Shifting gears to the 76ers vs Celtics NBA public betting splits, where the bulk of bettors are hitting the Philadelphia side. At the time of writing, 62% of the spread tickets are on the Sixers, with those wagers accounting for 76% of the handle. That means those who bet biggest, which are typically pros, are grabbing the value on the underdog like me.

Total-wise, it’s the over that’s seeing a ton of action. That side of the total accounts for 89% of the bets, yet surprisingly the over/under has dropped a point since opening odds were released. That tells us online sportsbooks are more than happy to take over money, as they expect a much lower scoring game than the general public.