The red-hot Boston Celtics face an interesting test against the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, with both teams dealing with significant roster challenges - the Celtics potentially missing their big three of Tatum, Holiday, and Porzingis while the Sixers continue their campaign without Embiid, Maxey, and George.
Fresh off a spectacular shooting display where Pritchard and White combined for 84 points against Portland, Boston's depth players have shown they can step up when called upon, though fatigue could be a factor on the second night of a back-to-back.
The TD Garden crowd will watch a very different matchup than expected when the home team Celtics (44-18) take on the away team Sixers (21-40) in what could be an unexpectedly competitive Eastern Conference clash.
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers matchup, our predictive model gives the Celtics a 62.5% chance of defeating the Sixers.
Boston Celtics: 62.5% win probability
- Elite offensive efficiency (7251 points scored in 62 games)
- Strong defensive presence (6719 points against, 2nd best in Eastern Conference)
- Consistent winning record (44-18, .710 win percentage)
Philadelphia 76ers: 37.5% win probability
- Struggling offense (6654 points in 61 games, bottom 5 in East)
- Poor recent form (LLWLL in last 5 games)
- Road game vulnerability (21-40 overall record, 11th in Eastern Conference)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model brings together insights from top NBA experts. Instead of searching through countless expert analyses online, you can rely on our predictions to capture the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing expert picks, data, and trends, while our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. These confidence levels are then averaged to generate an 'expert opinion' win probability—providing a data-driven reflection of the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NBA analysts.
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers odds
Here are the latest odds for the NBA matchup between the visiting Philadelphia 76ers and the home team Boston Celtics, set to face off on Thursday, March 06.
Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | |
---|---|---|
Moneyline | -900 (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | +650 (via bet365 US) |
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers preview
The struggling 76ers limp into TD Garden for what's shaping up to be a David vs. Goliath matchup against a red-hot Celtics squad that's been crushing it at home.
Philly's been hit hard by the injury bug, with their star quartet of Embiid, Maxey, George, and McCain all sidelined, forcing them to lean heavily on the surprising emergence of Quentin Grimes, who dropped 30 in their last outing.
Boston's depth was on full display last night when Payton Pritchard and Derrick White put on an absolute clinic against Portland, combining for a ridiculous 84 points while their stars watched from the bench.
The Celtics' three-point barrage has been their bread and butter this season - they're leading the league in threes made, and they just showed they can rain fire even without Tatum and Porzingis in the lineup.
These Atlantic Division rivals met just two weeks ago, with Boston cruising to a 20-point win on Philly's home court, but the Sixers' young guns have been keeping games surprisingly competitive despite their brutal losing streak.
While Boston's dealing with their own injury concerns and potential fatigue from last night's shootout, their depth and home-court advantage make this feel like a tough mountain for the depleted Sixers to climb.
Key stats
- 1Celtics sit 2nd in East with 44-18 record while 76ers struggle at 11th with 21-40
- 2Celtics boast +532 point differential vs 76ers -289, showing vast offensive gap
- 3Boston enters on WWLLW streak while Philly limps in with LLWLL form
- 4Celtics lead Atlantic Division (44 wins) while 76ers rank 3rd in division (21 wins)
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers form


Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers head to head
Boston Celtics
50%
Philadelphia 76ers
50%
Feb 21, 2025
Philadelphia 76ers
104 : 124
Boston Celtics
Feb 2, 2025
Philadelphia 76ers
110 : 118
Boston Celtics
Dec 25, 2024
Boston Celtics
114 : 118
Philadelphia 76ers
Oct 13, 2024
Boston Celtics
139 : 89
Philadelphia 76ers
Jul 21, 2024
Boston Celtics
98 : 103
Philadelphia 76ers
Feb 28, 2024
Boston Celtics
117 : 99
Philadelphia 76ers