Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 19/12/2023, 06:00  by Devesh Jaganath in NBA Predictions

Arguably the pick of the games in the NBA on Tuesday will see the Golden State Warriors square off against the Boston Celtics at the Chase Center. The hosts are 12-14 and 11th in the Western Conference, while the visitors are 20-5 and leading the Eastern Conference standings. 

The Celtics continue to shine in the current season. Since their loss in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals, they have maintained an undefeated streak of five matches leading up to this game. In their last match, Boston secured a decisive 114-97 victory against the Magic at home, with Jaylen Brown impressively contributing 35 points on 12-for-20 shooting. The noteworthy aspect of their win was the commanding manner in which they controlled the game, never relinquishing their lead. The Celtics' scoring average of 117.6 points per game is just slightly higher than the Warriors' defensive yield of 115.7 points. Notably, Boston stands out for taking the highest percentage of three-point shots among all teams, with a rate of 47.7%. Defensively, the Celtics rank third in the league, allowing an average of 108.5 points per game. As for the upcoming game on Tuesday, Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable, while Luke Kornet is sidelined with a thigh injury.

After a three-game losing streak, the Warriors have rebounded with consecutive victories leading up to Tuesday's matchup. In their last game, Golden State secured a 118-114 win against the Trailblazers, with Klay Thompson leading the charge by scoring 28 points on an efficient 11-for-16 shooting performance. The Warriors are currently averaging 115.9 points per game, ranking 13th in the league and holding a 7.4-point differential over the Celtics' defensive allowance. On the defensive end, Golden State allows an average of 115.7 points per game, placing them 13th in the league. However, they excel as the seventh-best team in 3-point defense, limiting opponents to a 34.9% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc. There is uncertainty about Chris Paul's availability for this game, while Gary Payton II remains sidelined with an injury, and Draymond Green is serving an indefinite suspension.