Suns vs Celtics Prediction & Picks (Feb. 3): Jayson Tatum Leads Boston to More Home Success

The Boston Celtics aim to win their third game in a row when they host the Phoenix Suns at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 3. The two sides already met for the first time in December, resulting in a 125-98 blowout win for Boston. Only time will tell if the latest Suns vs Celtics matchup ends differently.

Interesting time to look at these splits as the Suns come to Boston Friday. The Celtics 27-point win in Phoenix on Dec. 7 moved them to 21-5.

They've held the NBA's top spot through the next 26 games, but they've looked like a completely different team doing it… pic.twitter.com/FCP5IKV22K

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) February 2, 2023

The Celtics enter tonight’s contest following a 139-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 57 points on 20-of-35 shooting (57.1%) while Derrick White finished with a 14-point, 10-assist double-double in the win.

Meanwhile, a 132-100 loss to the Atlanta Hawks ended the Suns’ winning streak at two games. Phoenix now must attempt to bounce back on the road, where it has a losing record this season (8-17). With several key pieces sidelined for the matchup, winning won’t be easy for Monty Williams’ team.

There’s a lot to take in before Friday’s Suns vs Celtics game. Fortunately, Betting News has gathered the game’s odds while also having a prediction, the best bets and a player prop for tonight’s contest.

Phoenix Suns vs Boston Celtics Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Phoenix Suns (27-26, 8-17 Away) vs. Boston Celtics (37-15, 20-6 Home)
• Venue & Location: TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
• Date: Friday, Feb. 3, 2023
• Game Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• Suns vs Celtics TV Info: NBC Sports Boston, NBA TV, Bally Sports Arizona

Suns vs Celtics Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Friday, Feb. 3 at 8:08 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Phoenix Suns +10 (-112)
• Boston Celtics -10 (-108)

Over/Under

• Over 222.5 Points (-110)
• Under 222.5 Points (-110)

Moneyline

• Phoenix Suns +360
• Boston Celtics -450

Phoenix Suns vs Boston Celtics Betting Trends

• Phoenix is 5-11 straight up in its last 16 games against Boston.
• Boston is 9-1 straight up in its last 10 home games.
• Phoenix is 1-5 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games in February.
• Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last six games played on a Friday.
• The total has hit the over in six of Phoenix’s last eight road games against Boston.
• The total has hit the over in each of Boston’s last six games played in February.

Suns vs Celtics Prediction and Picks

Suns vs Celtics Prediction: Celtics 117, Suns 109

Suns vs Celtics Picks: Suns +10 (Best Value: -112 at BetOnline) & Over 222.5 Points Points (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline)

While it looks like the Suns have some momentum on their side, it’s worth noting that they haven’t beaten the toughest teams lately. Their last three victories have come against the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets — three sub-.500 teams with a combined winning percentage of 36.4%.

Now, the Suns have the daunting task of facing the Celtics at TD Garden. Boston has been phenomenal at home this season, winning 20 of its first 26 home contests. If that’s not impressive enough, the Celtics are also 9-1 in their last 10 home games.

The Celtics are great at creating separation in their own backyard as well. Their plus-9.9 scoring margin at home ranks No. 3 in the NBA, whereas the Suns’ minus-3.1 mark on the road is the 13th-worst.

The Suns’ recent poor play on the perimeter could also hurt them tonight. Over the last three games, Phoenix has surrendered an average of 12.7 threes on 40.0% shooting and now must try to stop the Celtics, who average 15.6 three-pointers (No. 2) on a 37.2% success rate (No. 8).

The Celtics also average 118.2 PPG (No. 2) while the Suns operate on a 112.7 PPG clip (No. 21). Scoring has been tougher for the Suns since leading scorer Devin Booker went down with a groin injury about a month ago.

Just to understand how important Booker is to his team’s success, the Suns are only 9-15 in the games without him compared to an 18-11 record when he does suit up. Booker won't be the only Phoenix player missing, though, as Cameron Payne (foot) and Landry Shamet (foot) are both out indefinitely.

After losing 11 of the last 16 Suns vs Celtics matchups, I don’t see Phoenix’s luck changing tonight. The Celtics already handled the Suns with ease less than two months ago and that’s when the latter had Booker in the lineup. Without him, Phoenix doesn’t stand much of a chance.

Having said that, I don’t see the Celtics covering as 10-point favorites. As great as they are, the Celtics are only 1-6 ATS in their last seven games, whereas the Suns are 6-2 ATS in their last eight. Furthermore, Phoenix has covered the spread in 10 of its last 14 games against Boston.

I’m also backing the total going over 221.5 points as another solid betting option. After all, six of the last eight Suns-Celtics matchups at TD Garden have hit the over. With the two sides combining for 223 points back in December, I don’t see that trend stopping tonight.

Best Suns vs Celtics Prop Bet

Jayson Tatum — Over 30.5 Points (-125)

Jayson Tatum continues to be one of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA. He’s taken his play to another level over the last few weeks, averaging 33.9 points on .467/.398/.917 shooting splits over his last eight games.

What’s even more impressive is that Tatum finished with over 30.5 points in six of those outings, which includes a 31-point effort against the Nets earlier this week.

After also hitting the over on this prop in seven of his last nine games at TD Garden, I see another big performance on the way from Tatum.

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