76ers vs. Celtics – Preview
Wednesday, 7:30pm ET • TD Garden
Our Pick: Celtics -4.5

It’s day two of the 2025–26 NBA season, and the 76ers visit TD Garden to face the Celtics at 7:30 p.m. ET. Sportsbooks list Boston as a -4.5 favorite, with the official NBA injury report noting Paul George (PHI) OUT, Jayson Tatum (BOS) OUT, and Jaylen Brown (BOS) questionable for tonight. 

Even without Tatum, there’s a solid case for Boston to cover. The Celtics finished 61–21 last season (No. 2 in the East) and set the NBA single-season record for made 3-pointers, a style that creates margin when shots fall. They also won the 2024–25 season series 3–1 over Philadelphia. That blend of top-tier form, system continuity, and matchup history favors Boston against a Sixers group still seeking rhythm. 

Philadelphia’s path is narrower. The 76ers went 24–58 last season and struggled offensively, finishing 26th in scoring (109.6 PPG) with 30th in rebounds (39.8 RPG) and 29th in assists (23.2 APG); they also allowed 115.8 OPPG (21st). Removing George’s two-way presence tonight further compresses their shot creation on the wing and weakens perimeter defense against Boston’s spacing. 

Tactically, Boston’s spacing and ball movement have been their identity, and even minus Tatum they can replicate it with next-man-up shooting and guard play—an approach that produced last year’s record-setting three-point volume. Philadelphia, meanwhile, leans heavily on Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to carry the half-court offense; if Boston funnels touches into contested mid-range and limits second-chance points, the Sixers’ efficiency can crater for stretches—exactly the kind of dry spell that turns a close game into a cover at home. 

Pick/lean: Celtics -4.5. The combination of Boston’s proven regular-season machine, a favorable recent head-to-head trend, and Philadelphia’s offensive profile—now without Paul George—sets up the Celtics to create separation late and cover a two-possession number.