Celtics vs. Nuggets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, Feb. 25

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are looking to bounce back from a bad road loss to the short-handed Golden State Warriors when they take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

This game is the second night of a back-to-back for Boston, which won against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The Suns didn’t have Devin Booker or Dillon Brooks in that game, but Boston was down Jaylen Brown (knee) on the front end of the back-to-back.

Brown has only missed six games this season, and it’s likely that he’ll be in the lineup for a potential Finals preview against Denver.

The Nuggets have slipped to 36-22 this season, dropping six of their last 10 games. They still have an elite offense (No. 1 in the NBA in offensive rating), but can they defend well enough to beat Boston?

The Nuggets rank 18th in defensive rating over their last 15 games, and they remain without forwards Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson on Wednesday.

Here’s a look at the betting odds, my favorite prop bet and a prediction for this matchup between title contenders on Feb. 25.

Celtics vs. Nuggets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Celtics +3.5 (-112)
Nuggets -3.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Celtics: +136
Nuggets: -162

Total

229.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Celtics vs. Nuggets How to Watch

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25
Time: 10:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Ball Arena
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Celtics record: 38-19
Nuggets record: 36-22

Celtics vs. Nuggets Injury Reports

Celtics Injury Report

Not submitted yet

Nuggets Injury Report

Aaron Gordon – out
Tamar Bates – out
Peyton Watson – out
Curtis Jones – out
Jamal Murray – probable
Jalen Pickett – out
Julian Strawther – probable

Celtics vs. Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bets

Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

Nikola Jokic OVER 12.5 Rebounds (-126)

In today’s best NBA prop bets, I shared why Jokic is worth a look against this Boston frontcourt:

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is averaging 12.5 rebounds per game this season, and I’m buying him on the glass against the Boston Celtics tonight.

Boston is fourth in the NBA in rebound percentage this season, but a lot of that comes from the team’s No. 5 offensive rebound percentage. Jokic cleans up on the defensive glass, averaging an NBA-high 9.4 defensive boards per game.

Jokic averages nearly 20 rebound chances per game, giving him a solid floor when it comes to this prop.

Since returning from a knee injury, the Nuggets star has 13 or more rebounds in seven of 10 games, averaging 13.7 boards per game during that stretch. I’ll back him to clear this line again on Wednesday.

Celtics vs. Nuggets Prediction and Pick

The Celtics should get Brown back in action on Wednesday, and that makes them an intriguing pick as road underdogs.

The C’s are 7-3 against the spread as road dogs in the 2025-26 campaign, and they have won 20 of their 30 road games overall.

Meanwhile, Denver has played under .500 ball over its last 10 games and is just 8-10 against the spread when favored at Ball Arena.

These teams are No. 1 (Denver) and No. 2 (Boston) in offensive rating this season, but the C’s are a far better defense. Boston is seventh in defensive rating while Denver is 22nd, and the Nuggets are going to have a hard time finding answers for Brown with Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson out of the lineup.

Even though the Nuggets upset Boston without Jokic earlier this season, I think taking the points is the right move in this game. The Celtics are far more talented than the Golden State team Denver just lost to on the road on Sunday, and the Nuggets’ defensive woes make them a hard team to trust to cover a spread outside of a possession right now.

Pick: Celtics +3.5 (-112 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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