Two teams who started the new NBA season strongly will meet when Boston Celtics host Golden State Warriors on Thursday, 00:30 AM BST, and in this article I'll offer a few of my top Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors predictions.
In addition to this, here you can find a full Celtics vs Warriors preview, including team form, injuries and other news, plus the latest Celtics vs Warriors odds. So, let's take a closer look at this game and what we can expect from it.
Celtics vs Warriors predictions
Handicap
Warriors to win (+6)
9/10
Total points
Over 230
9/10
To score 30+ points
Jayson Tatum
8/11
All odds for my Celtics vs Warriors picks were taken from Paddy Power and are subject to change at any time.
Golden State Warriors to win with handicap (+6)
Both the Celtics and the Warriors enter this match with just one loss so far and while I don't expect these two teams to keep up the pace the same way, with the Celtics clearly being the better team, at the moment it's hard to look past the Warriors for this game. First of all, the Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, so even though they have a deep team, that is hard to compensate for.
On top of that, if we look at the recent history between these two teams, they mostly played very close games or the Warriors have been the one to win, with the exception of their last duel which ended 140-88 for the Celtics. All this considered, I can see Golden State pushing this game to the wire, which is why my first Celtics vs Warriors prediction is for the guests to win with handicap.
Over 230 total points
These two teams have played some of the best offense early in the new NBA season, with the Celtics averaging 123.6 points per game, more than any other team in the league. The Warriors are not far behind since they're third in the league with 121.6 points per game.
That being said, both the Celtics and the Warriors have been playing good defense too, but I expect to see a high-scoring game this evening, which is why over 230 total points is another of my Celtics vs Warriors picks.
Jayson Tatum to record 30+ points
The last of my Celtics vs Warriors tips is for Jayson Tatum to score 30+ points. Tatum has hit another gear to start this season and has averaged exactly 30 points per game so far, going over that line in half of the eight games he's played with the Celtics.
However, since Brown is also out for tonight, Tatum will have to take on even more responsibility on the offensive end and, unless he has a very bad shooting night, he should score at last 30 points.
Celtics vs Warriors preview – teams news, injuries, and predicted lineups
The reigning NBA champions have started the new season as well as they've ended the last one and they are rightfully seen as the top candidate to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy once again.
When it comes to team news, Kristaps Porzingis remains out and will be for a while yet, but the Celtics are also without the reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown currently, who should be back soon.
The Celtics enter this match with a 7-1 record.
Celtics starting lineup: Holiday, White, Tatum, Horford, Queta
The new Golden State era has started surprisingly well, with the team only losing one of their seven games this season. The experienced, championship-winning core of Curry, Green, and Wiggins has been perfectly complemented by the young guys on the team and the Warriors will seemingly be a serious force in the Western Conference this season.
The only player out with an injury is De'Anthony Melton, who' dealing with a back injury, but shouldn't be out too long.
The Warriors enter this match with a 6-1 record.
Warriors starting lineup: Curry, Wiggins, Payton, Jackson-Davies, Green
An avid sports fan and bettor, with a soft spot for basketball, tennis, and football. New to the MFT's unique community and very glad to be here.
