Warriors vs. Celtics Prediction, Picks for Sunday, March 3
Here's everything you need to know about Warriors vs. Celtics on Sunday, March 3 — our expert prediction and betting picks for today.
The Warriors will travel to Boston to take on the Celtics in a 2022 NBA Finals rematch on Sunday afternoon. Can the Warriors pull an upset or will the Celtics continue their historic offensive run?
Let's get to our Warriors vs. Celtics prediction and pick.
Warriors vs. Celtics Prediction
Pick: Celtics Team Total Over 122.5
Warriors Betting Outlook
Monitor the Warriors' injury report as both Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski are questionable. Curry is obviously the engine that drives the Warriors' offense, but you could make a strong argument for Podziemski being their third-most impactful player this season, so his absence would be devastating.
Regardless, this is a brutal spot for the Warriors as its their fourth game of a road trip and they're facing a Celtics team that hasn’t traveled in 10 days. The Celtics have been historically good all season, but what they’ve been doing over the past few weeks is downright scary.
They'll obviously be a tough matchup for a Warriors defense that has been much improved, but still ranks 24th in 3-point attempt rate allowed. The Celtics should be able to launch from deep at a high rate, and I expect them to dominate offensively, regardless of whether Curry and Podziemski play.
Celtics Betting Outlook
Over their past five games, the Celtics have posted an offensive rating of 140 or higher three times and have an overall offensive rating of 136.3! They’re shooting 46% from 3 and have attempted 42% of their shots from 3 over this stretch. They're almost unbeatable when they shoot 40% (or higher) from deep on that volume.
On the flip side of the ball, this will be a difficult test for the Warriors offense. The Celtics rank third in preventing rim shots and top-five in opponent 3-point percentage allowed.
Additionally, the Celtics have two elite on-ball defenders — Derrick White and Jrue Holiday — that they can throw at Curry. Boston will make it difficult for Curry, if he plays, to generate much separation. The Warriors will likely need massive contributions from Jonathan Kuminga and Klay Thompson if they want any chance to compete.
Warriors vs. Celtics Picks, Odds
| Warriors Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11 -112 | 230 -108o / -112u | +410 |
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11 -108 | 230 -108o / -112u | -550 |
I like the Celtics Team Total Over 122.5 as the Warriors just don’t defend the 3-point line well enough to contain Boston's offense. I think this is the cleanest way to get exposure on the Celtics for now without knowing the status of Curry, Podziemski or Kristaps Porzingis. The Celtics' offense should have an edge over Warriors' defense regardless of which way those injury designations go. Play this up to 124.
Pick: Celtics Team Total Over 122.5 | Play to 124
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