NBA
Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Kick Off Time: 07.30 pm, ET Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts The NBA inter-divisional match between the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets will go down at TD Garden on Tuesday,18th March 2025. Teams are playing more strategically with the hope of joining top playoff contenders. The widening chasm between divisional leaders the Celtics and Nets couldn’t be greater as both teams battle for different objectives. On that note, SportsBoom previews this matchup in detail, with the aim of enriching NBA betting enthusiasts with well-researched insights.
Ziaire Williams drives against Jayson Tatum//Getty Images
This match comes three days after a meeting in Brooklyn and all signs point to an utter drubbing, considering the gulf between the two teams. The Celtics are having a fantastic season as they look for a repeat as back-to-back champions. They are kicking into the next gear just in time for the playoffs and their chemistry is through the roof. They are second on the Eastern Conference standings with a 47-18 record to their name.
On the other hand, the Brooklyn Nets is a lottery team with all signs pointing to them missing the playoffs. They have been poor throughout the season and are ranked in the bottom five in their conference, with a dismal 22-42 record. The Nets have some lengthy lingering questions to answer once the season ends, as it’s obvious that massive personnel changes are required since the franchise is disjointed without a clear sense of direction and purpose.
The Celtics will likely continue their dominance over the Nets as they have only lost once in their last ten meetings.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
The following odds have been carefully established and can be found on leading online betting sites for NBA games.
Boston Celtics: 2/5 (1.40) – 71.4%
Brooklyn Nets: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.6%
Forecast Odds – Betting available on 1Win closer to event
Head-to-Head Record
A five-game head-to-head record reveals that the Celtics have been utterly dominant, having claimed five victories in a row.
LAST FIVE MATCHES
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2024/2025 | November 13th 2024 | Brooklyn Nets 114-139 Boston Celtics |
| 2024/2025 | November 8th 2024 | Boston Celtics 108-104 Brooklyn Nets |
| 2023/2024 | February 14th 2024 | Boston Celtics 136-86 Brooklyn Nets |
| 2023/2024 | February 13th 2024 | Brooklyn Nets 110-118 Boston Celtics |
| 2023/2024 | November 10th 2023 | Boston Celtics 121-107 Brooklyn Nets |
Boston Celtics: Current Form – WWWWW
- Overall Record: 47-18
- Home Record: 23-11
- Away Record: 24-7
The Celtics are a team in form, playing some of the best and most entertaining basketball in the NBA. They have had a dominant season so far and have started showing why they are the leading favorites to claim the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in June.
The Celtics have begun to kick into the next gear, with a playoff berth already guaranteed and only home court advantage yet to be attained. The roster talent is elite and health has not been an issue for their team, as the coaching staff has done a tremendous job with rotations and rehabilitation of the players.
They are equipped with one of the best bench units in the league, having developed chemistry akin to telekinesis. They are on cruise control and will be hoping to complete the season without incurring any major injuries.
Recently, they have solidified their home court dominance at the TD Garden. They seek to build a fortress myth mentality that will not only lead them to victories, especially in the playoffs, but also psychologically torture their opponents.
Cam Thomas drives against Payton Pritchard//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Jason Tatum: Jason Tatum is having a MVP caliber season. Tatum is leading the team with 27.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He is a renowned talent and is on pace for another 1st Team all NBA selection.
- Jaylen Brown: Jaylen Brown has been quietly going about his business and is the team’s second best player, with his inside-out game and elite perimeter defense being an immense strength to the team.
- Derrick White: Derrick White is one of the best defensive players in the league. After being part of the Olympics team, White returned a revitalized player with confidence to boot in plenty. He is capable of exploding for a career night since most of the opposition’s elite defense often concentrates on the two superstar duo of Js.
Boston Celtics Team News
The Celtics have a clean bill of health for this matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, as Kristaps Porziņģis is expected to return from unidentified viral illness.
Brooklyn Nets: Current Form – LWWWW
- Overall Record: 22-42
- Home Record: 10-21
- Away Record: 12-21
The Brooklyn Nets are in the bottom of the pile in the Eastern Conference standings, ranking 11 out of 15. They are a lottery team and have witnessed their chances of attaining a playoff spot via the play-in route diminish. The Nets are destined for a long rebuild in the upcoming off-season.
Injuries have wrecked the Nets for much of the season, affecting their chemistry and leading to prolonged losing streaks. They have also experienced a tumultuous roster shake-up that has seen key players depart to contending franchises and their incoming acquisitions fail to impress.
The Brooklyn Nets lack a superstar to rally around and despite the franchise being in the big market of New York, superstar players have in the recent years ignored them after their failed ‘big three’ experience left a bad image that continues to haunt the organization. Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson, D'Angelo Russell and Nic Claxton are an average core, but that’s all they have at this juncture of the season.
The Brooklyn have been atrocious every time they face the Celtics and the trend is likely to continue as their hosts are dominant in every aspect of the game.
Key Players to Watch
- Cameron Johnson: Cameron Johnson has seen his points total surge upwards with key players departing the team. He has been a consistent offensive threat for the Nets and is the second leading scorer in the team with 19.0 points per game.
- D'Angelo Russell: D'Angelo Russell can easily light up, although those moments are always far in between. This season, he is averaging 14.1 points per game and 5.7 assists. He will be up against an elite Boston backcourt and his margin for error would have to be minimal if they are to win.
- Nic Claxton: Nic Claxton is the teams x-factor on both ends of the floor. He will be up against a mobile but undersized front court that is missing their unicorn Kristaps Porziņģis. Claxton is leading the team in rebounds with 7.4 rebounds as well as a team high 1.5 blocks.
Brooklyn Nets Team News
Cam Thomas is sidelined with a hamstring injury and may miss this contest and Trendon Watford may be back from his hamstring injury.
Predicted Lineups
Boston Celtics Lineup
- Point Guard: Derrick White
- Shooting Guard: Jrue Holiday
- Small Forward: Jaylen Brown
- Power Forward: Jayson Tatum
- Center: Al Horford
Brooklyn Nets Lineup
- Point Guard: D'Angelo Russell
- Shooting Guard: Keon Johnson
- Small Forward: Ziaire Williams
- Power Forward: Cameron Johnson
- Center: Nic Claxton
Value Bets
Jason Tatum: To Score Over 25.5 Points – Tatum has been in excellent shape this season, consistently scoring over 25 points in different games. He is one of the Celtics’ primary scorer and with the Nets experiencing major defensive struggles, Tatum is expected to leverage on their defensive lapses to score as much points possible.
Jaylen Brown to Score Over 22.5 Points – Brown has consistently surpassed 22 points in high-stake games. In this matchup, he is expected to make a considerable number of shots, capitalizing on all possible chances. He will focus on exceeding his average point threshold.
Prediction: Boston Celtics to Win
All odds will be favoring the Boston Celtics to win in this game, given their unmatched recent form, strengths, and home court performance. Their solid defensive strengths place them above the Nets’ offensive strategies, giving them an upper hand in this game.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.
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