The Denver Nuggets (24-12) and Boston Celtics (23-12) are set to meet for the first time this season at TD Garden on Wednesday, January 7.
The Nuggets are coming off an impressive win in Philadelphia, winning straight up as 15-point underdogs with a makeshift lineup. The Celtics, following their victory in Chicago on Monday, now hold the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Nuggets vs. Celtics tips off at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday from Boston, Mass., live on ESPN.
Below, we’ll break down our Nuggets vs. Celtics prediction and Wednesday NBA picks for PrizePicks. Use PrizePicks to make picks on player projections, plus game winners, spreads, and totals, and earn real money if you’re right.
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Nuggets vs. Celtics Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The story of the Nuggets right now centers on health. All-world center Nikola Jokic and his backup Jonas Valanciunas will both miss this game, as well as SF Cam Johnson.
PG Jamal Murray (ankle), SG Christian Braun (ankle), PF Aaron Gordon (hamstring), and SG Tim Hardaway Jr (illness) are all listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game but are all expected to play.
All four played on Sunday vs. the Brooklyn Nets and were then rested at the tail end of a back-to-back vs. Philadelphia on Monday night.
The Nuggets lead the NBA in points per game (PPG) at 124.4 and in 3-point percentage (40.2%). Most of this is due to the play of three-time MVP Jokic; even without him, this is a team that can score the ball with the best of them.
The Nuggets put up 120 points in regulation against the Philadelphia 76ers, while missing their top seven players in minutes this season.
The staples of Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla's philosophy are terrific defense and volume 3-point shooting, and this year's Celtics team is no different. They are second in the NBA in opponent points per game, allowing just 110.5, and second in 3-point attempts at 43.3.
The Boston Celtics are led by All-Star SG Jaylen Brown. Brown is averaging 29.6 PPG (5th in NBA), 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
Without All-Star Jayson Tatum, Brown has carried a Celtics team many projected to be in the lottery this season to the second seed in the Eastern Conference, and is top-five in the MVP race, returning a 22.22x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if he wins.
Nuggets vs. Celtics Over/Under, Spread
The Celtics enter Sunday’s game as 9.5-point home favorites, returning a 1.25x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Nuggets are road underdogs with a 3.7x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Boston Celtics -3.5 (1.85x payout)
- Over/Under: 233.5 (1.96x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Nuggets 3.7x | Celtics 1.25x
Team Picks payouts are live as of publishing and are subject to change.
Nuggets vs. Celtics Prediction on Spread
Here are some stats to know to get you prepared for Nuggets vs. Celtics today.
- The Celtics have the second-best against-the-spread (ATS) record in the NBA at 21-14-0 (60%).
- With Nikola Jokic on the floor, the Nuggets have an offensive rating of 125.8, best in the NBA. Without him, their offensive rating plummets to 86.3, one of the worst in NBA history.
- The Nuggets' net rating drops by 10.6 without Jokic on the floor from +7.3 to -3.3.
- Boston has the second-best ATS record when playing on equal rest as their opponents, going 13-7 (65%).
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Nuggets vs. Celtics NBA Picks, Stats for PrizePicks Today
Here are two of the top Nuggets vs. Celtics picks to consider for PrizePicks today. Player projections via the PrizePicks real-money NBA game.
Celtics SG Jaylen Brown vs. Nuggets Projection – 42.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- Brown averaged 43.6 PRA for the entire month of December.
- The Nuggets allow the ninth-most points in the NBA at 118.3.
- The Nuggets allow the sixth-most assists per game at 27.8.
- Brown leads the NBA in shots made in the mid-range this year.
- The Nuggets allow the fifth-most field goal attempts from 10-14 feet and the third-most from 15-19 feet.
Celtics SG Anfernee Simons vs. Nuggets Projection – 13.5 Points
- Simons is a streaky shooter and has had more than this number in his last four games.
- Since Simons plays off the bench for the Celtics, he tends to see more run in blowouts, which this game has the potential to turn into with a 9.5-point spread.
- Anfernee Simons' average shot distance is 18.3 feet, ranking him among the furthest shooters in the NBA.
- The Nuggets allow the third-most field goal attempts from 20-24 feet at 16.4 per game.
Make Nuggets vs. Celtics Picks on PrizePicks
It’s a clash of styles on Wednesday night in Boston. The league's best offense in points per game in Denver matches up against the league's second-best defense in points per game allowed.
Jaylen Brown will look to continue his MVP campaign and carry his Celtics to another victory at TD Garden.
You can make Nuggets vs. Celtics picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 30 states.
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