NBA: Boston Celtics VS Denver Nuggets Pick and Predictions 01/01/2023

Game: 8:10 PM ET,  Sunday, January 1st, 2023

Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

TV:  NBA League Pass

Celtics: 26-10, 1st place Eastern Conference

Nuggets: 23-12, 2nd place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Celtics -1.5, O/U 234.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Celtics -2, O/U 234

Fanduel: Point Spread:  Celtics -2, O/U 234

Celtics: PF Jayson Tatum, SF Jaylen Brown, C Al Horford, SG Derrick White, PG Marcus Smart

Nuggets: PF Michael Porter JR, SF Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Jokic, SG Kentavious Caldwell Pope, PG Jamal Murray

A battle of big boys… the 1st place team from the Eastern Conference and the 2nd place team from the Western Conference.  This is big boy basketball.  These are real deal teams.  Both have MVP candidates.  Both have high-flying win/loss records.  The difference is that the Celtics have a sturdy, reliable roster that is two deep at every spot… and the Nuggets are walking on thin ice while hoping everyone’s health holds up.  Both teams have an MVP candidate.  The Boston Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference and the Eastern Conference3 is looking like the best conference. The Nuggets have the best player in basketball in C Nikola Jokic… his roster just got mostly fully healthy… and he is ready to take them to levels they have never been. The Great Betting Opportunity is found in the injury list And then the numbers.

The Boston Celtics are on a 4-game winning streak.  They have gone 3-1 ATS during that stretch. They won their last game 116-110 against the Los Angeles Clippers, a loss against the spread as predicted in this column.  In that game  SF Jayson Tatum and SG Jaylen Brown both pulled down 29 points.. With 17, 3, 9 from PG Marcus Smart.  That is a winning trio with winning numbers.  With some help from SG Derrick White and Center Al Horford,. These guys can beat anyone.

The Denver Nuggets are winners of 8 of their last 10 games.  They won their last game 124-119 against the Miami Heat… which was also a win ATS.  The Nuggets are also 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games.  The Nuggets thrive on teams that are not ready for C Nikola Jokic.. The man is the best player in basketball… We used to say that LeBron was better and we used to say that Giannis was better.. But neither are better (even though they are both great) anymore.  In the win Nikola Jokic had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists… making a triple double one of the worst games Nikola has had in awhile.  Bugt Nikola benefitted from 7 other Nuggets having double digit scoring nights… That won’t always happen and that is why Nikloa will occasionally get 40 points, 20 rebounds if needed.

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Bos: 26-10, 20-15-1 ATS, 18-17-1 O/U ,11-5 in road games.

DEN: 23-12, 17-18 ATS, 17-18 O/U, 13-3 in home games.

Boston is 1st in scoring with 118.8 points per game, 11th in rebounds with 43.9 per game, 2nd in AST/TO ratio with 1.9, and 9th in blocks with 5.2 per game.

Denver is 6th in scoring with 116.4 points per game, 19th in rebounds with 42.8 per game, abd 22nd in blocks with 4.3 per game.

Our prediction for Sunday, January 1st is…. Nuggets 123 - Celtics 111

Bet on the Nuggets.  Celtics Center Al Horford is a lot of things… Celtics Center Robert Williams III is a lot of things, but ready to stop Nikola Jokic is neither.  The reason the Nuggets should win is that SF Aaron Gordon of the Nuggets is fully capable of playing real defense against Jayson Tatum.  That leaves a deep Celtics team to try and outscore a deep Nuggets team with Jokic at the heart.  Bet on the Nuggets, plus you get some points to put in your pocket. 

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Boston is 2-0 ATS versus Denver at Denver over the last 3 seasons.

Boston is 4-0 ATS versus Denver the last 3 seasons.

Denver is 11-3 ATS after a home win.

Celtics: PF/SF Jayson Tatum.  Jayson is the Batman.  Jayson is the full-fledged star of the Celtics and he is capable of very big scoring games.  The Celtics rely on him and he is worthy of being relied on.  However this is a game with a much bigger star.

Nuggets:  C Nikola Jokic.  Nikola puts up statlines regularly that scream “He is the MVP again!!”  Its scream you can hear loudly.  His statlines are so good in any Nuggets game that we take them for granted.  The guy risks the court and if you do not have a big man that can slow him… or an offensive punch that can counter him.. You are not going to win against them.

Celtics: Ben “I just got this job” Mazzula

Nuggets: Michael “Have you heard of me yet?” Malone