Wednesday NBA Betting Preview: How to Bet Thunder vs. Celtics

The 1-seed Thunder travel into Boston tonight to take on the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference. In what could very likely be an NBA Finals preview, expect Joe Mazzulla to make the correct adjustments tonight to avenge their January 5th loss in Oklahoma City where Boston was dominated by OKC’s tenacious defense.

Shooting less than 20% from beyond the arc in that first matchup, look for Payton Pritchard and Derrick White to come up clutch for the men in green Wednesday night.

Best Bet: Boston Celtics -3.5

The Boston Celtics take their five game win streak into TD Garden tonight as they host the number one seed in the West, Oklahoma City. Since the start of 2024, Boston is 1-2 against the Thunder, including a 13-point loss away from home on January 5th.

As one of the best coaches in the Association, Joe Mazzulla will be able to adjust to the Thunder’s scheme and attack Check Holmgren early with their four primary ball handlers. With Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser remaining hot from downtown, I think the home boost will give Boston their 48th victory of the season tonight. The Cs are 6-1 at home since the break.

Payton Pritchard (BOS) OVER 11.5 Points

Payton Pritchard shows up in big moments. The favorite for the 6MOTY award didn’t drop a single bucket in the Celtics loss in Oklahoma City in January. This is where Mazzulla will tweak the rotation and give Pritchard some more run as Boston looks to turn this into a calculated half court back-and-forth matchup, especially in the second half.

Pritchard went 17 of 29 from beyond the arc over a three-game stretch last week in one of the most spectacular bench runs we have seen in years. After his last two games have cooled off, expect this marquee matchup to bring the best from Pritchard and solidify his spot as a favorite in the 6th man award race.

Lu Dort (OKC) UNDER 2.5 3PM

Lu Dort’s 26 points on 8 three-pointers on Monday against Denver elevated his three-point prop from 1.5 to 2.5 tonight. We aren’t budging on this mark and will take the under here. Dort has shot the 3-ball at a 34% mark since the All-Star break and has really struggled to stay consistent with his shot throughout the season.

As one of the better wing defenders in the NBA, I’m expecting Dort to deploy a ton of energy on both Tatum and Brown in this matchup that might limit him as an offensive scorer and playmaker. The last time Lu made three or more 3-pointers in back-to-back games was in mid-January. Take the under from the Dortcher Chamber in this one.