NBA Friday Night - Suns at Celtics Preview

Amongst an eight-game slate of NBA Action on Friday Night, a few games stick out on blowout watch, one of which being in Boston as the Celtics host the Phoenix Suns. This is where betting against the spread can get interesting. 

Phoenix Suns +9.5 @ Boston Celtics

As defending eastern conference champs and current owners of the best record in the league, the Celtics have been getting the respect they’ve earned this season. Or maybe they’ve gotten too much respect?

Boston has been getting the job done on the scoreboard, coming into tonight with a 37-15 record. However, its record this season against the spread has been not nearly as good, going 26-25-1 this season including losing four of the last five against the spread, with three of those five lost outright. Having played all but three of their games as the favorite, the Celtics are 24-24-1 against the spread as favorites this season, going 14-12 against the spread as favorites at home.

Meanwhile the Suns, who have massively underperformed and are currently down a superstar with Devin Booker, still likely sidelined until next week, seem to be having the opposite experience of late. Phoenix comes into Friday night’s game as an underdog for the 13th time in the last 20 games. 

The Suns have managed to win three of their last five games and six of their last eight. This includes impressive wins over Brooklyn and Memphis. When it comes to their record against the spread, the Suns have covered the spread in seven of their last 10 games including four of their last six road games. Phoenix is 10-9 against the spread as underdogs this season, going 7-6 against the spread as underdogs on the road. 

While Boston is easily the better team in this one, the question is are they 9.5 points better? For this one, we’re riding with the hot hand of top performing Oddscrowd bettor Daniel 88 who is taking the Suns plus the points.

Pick: Suns +9.5