Rockets vs. Celtics prediction and odds for Tuesday, December 27 (Expect plenty of points)
By Peter Dewey
The Houston Rockets upset the Chicago Bulls on Monday night in Chicago, but they have an extremely tough test in the second night of a back-to-back against the Boston Celtics.
Boston has the best record in the NBA this season, and the team is fresh off of a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day.
Houston has played better as of late, going 4-6 in its last 10 games, but the team has still struggled on the road, going just 4-13 straight up this season.
Boston is a huge step up in class from the Bulls. The team ranks first in the NBA in offensive rating and net rating, and it’s dominated all season from beyond the arc.
The Rockets are massive dogs in this game, but should your best bet be on the spread?
Here’s a look at the latest odds for this game:
Rockets vs. Celtics odds, spread and total
Rockets vs. Celtics prediction and pick
Boston is favored by 14.5 points, but I can’t get to this number on either side. The Rockets have done a solid job against the spread this season (16-15-2), but Boston can get hot from 3 and completely bury a team on any night.
Instead, I’m going to look to the total with one of the best offenses we’ve seen in recent memory playing in this game.
Boston has an offensive rating of 117.2 this season, which gives it a major advantage over Houston’s 28th ranked defense.
That should lead to plenty of baskets in this game, especially if either of these teams look to push the pace.
Boston has hit the over in half of its games this season, going 17-15-2. Houston hasn’t been as uptempo of a team this season as it was last, but the Celtics may force the Rockets into a track meet if they get up early.
Jayson Tatum and company have found their offensive rhythm in the last two games, scoring 121 and 139 points, beating the Bucks by 21.
Houston won’t be able to slow down Boston, especially in the second night of a back-to-back, so I think this game goes well over 231.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.