76ers vs. Celtics Prediction, Odds and Best Prop Bets for NBA Playoffs Game 1

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics open the 2026 NBA Playoffs at home against the Philadelphia 76ers, and oddsmakers have Boston set as a massive favorite with Joel Embiid (appendectomy) out of the lineup.

The C’s – the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference – are 12.5-point favorites at the best betting sites, and they’re expected to make quick work of the 76ers with Embiid out to start the series. Philly won a play-in matchup with the former league MVP, riding 31 points from Tyrese Maxey to take down the Orlando Magic.

During the regular season, the Sixers and Celtics split their four games, but Boston ended up being by far the better team, ranking in the top five in the NBA in offensive, defensive and net rating. The Sixers, on the other hand, finished the regular season with a negative net rating (-0.1) and were just 21-23 when Embiid was out of the lineup.

That doesn’t bode well for their chances of pulling off an upset on Sunday, and the C’s are looking to become the fifth home team in a row to pick up a win in the first round of the playoffs. All four home teams won and covered the spread on Saturday.

Even though Boston is heavily favored in Game 1, this should be a fun series between two division rivals. Here’s a breakdown of the odds, a player prop to bet and my prediction for Game 1 of this Eastern Conference battle.

76ers vs. Celtics Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

76ers +12.5 (-110)
Celtics -12.5 (-110)

Moneyline

76ers: +550
Celtics: -800

Total

213.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

76ers vs. Celtics How to Watch

Date: Sunday, April 19
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Venue: TD Garden
How to Watch (TV): ABC
Series: Tied 0-0

76ers vs. Celtics Injury Reports

76ers Injury Report

Joel Embiid – out
Tyrese Maxey – available

Celtics Injury Report

None to report

76ers vs. Celtics Best NBA Prop Bets

Celtics Best NBA Prop Bet

Jayson Tatum 9+ Rebounds (-155)

Jaylen Brown has been the driving force for Boston’s success this season after Tatum missed most of the year recovering from a torn Achilles, but I think the Duke product is worth a look as a prop target in Game 1.

Tatum was awesome on the glass after returning to the lineup, averaging 10.0 rebounds per game in 16 games. He had at least nine boards in 11 of those matchups, including 10 games with at least 10 boards.

Now, he takes on a Philly team that was 21st in rebound percentage and 22nd in the league in opponent rebounds per game in the regular season. With Embiid out, the 76ers aren’t nearly as dangerous down low, and Tatum has shown before that he is Boston’s best rebounder in the playoffs.

Over his last three playoff runs, Tatum has averaged 11.5, 9.7 and 10.5 rebounds per game. He’s an absolute steal at this number, especially if Joe Mazzulla opts to go small with Tatum as the de facto center in those lineups.

76ers vs. Celtics Prediction and Pick

Boston is heavily favored in this game, but the Sixers did play some close games against the C’s even with Embiid banged up at the start of the season.

Here’s how the four meetings between these teams went:

Oct 22: Sixers win 117-116
Oct. 31: Celtics win 109-108
Nov. 11: Sixers win 102-100
March 1: Celtics win 114-98

Tatum did not play in any game against Boston this season, but the Sixers were without Embiid and Paul George in the March 1 meeting. So, it’s worth considering that Philly could keep this within 12.5 points in Game 1.

However, I like the UNDER in this matchup on Sunday afternoon.

Two of the four games between these teams in the regular season fell short of this title, and Boston profiles as the No. 1 UNDER team in the league. Not only did the C’s hit the UNDER in 52 of their 82 games (the most in the NBA), but they rank 30th in the league in pace and No. 1 in opponent points per game.

The Sixers (15th in pace) have hit the UNDER in 43 of 83 games (including the play-in tournament) in the 2025-26 season.

In the playoffs, games naturally slow down a bit on offense, and with Embiid out, I’m not sold on this Philly offense having a huge game. Meanwhile, the C’s are content with slowing the pace and winning in the half court, especially since Jaylen Brown has been one of the best one-on-one scorers in the NBA.

I’ll go UNDER in Game 1 before seeing how much Tatum’s presence truly impacts the spread in this matchup.

Pick: UNDER 213.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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