March Madness can wait. There’s another terrific TNT Thursday night NBA doubleheader on tap, and between the matchup, betting value, and big betting bonuses available for the opener, we say that this is the game to tune into tonight. And if you’re tuning in, then you should tail our picks!

The mercurial Phoenix Suns (38-27) take on the front-running Boston Celtics (51-14) at TD Garden. This is the second time these teams have met in the past five days, with Boston defeating the Suns 117-107 in Phoenix.

But tonight, we’ll see a very different matchup, with Devin Booker returning, Kristaps Porzingis remaining out, and Jaylen Brown looking increasingly unlikely to play.

Here’s everything you need to make better bets tonight, including our expert analysis, betting picks and full Suns vs. Celtics prediction.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ve also added a number of sportsbook promos to the end of this article, including FOUR different promos you can use to protect your bets tonight.

 

 

 

Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics Prediction & Best Bet - Thursday, March 14, 2024

I’m going to assume Jaylen Brown sits. Why?

Brown is listed as Questionable with a different injury than the one that kept him out of Tuesday’s tilt against the Jazz.

Full stats, analysis and injury reports are below, but to skip to the good stuff, here are my Suns vs. Celtics best bets:

Celtics vs. Suns Player Props

Celtics vs. Suns Over-Under Pick

 

 

 

To address the elephant in the room: I like these player props even if Brown plays. I LOVE them if he doesn’t.

Coincidentally, all four of these Suns vs. Celtics best bets hit in the previous meeting between these two teams. 

Suns vs. Celtics Prediction: Brown Sits, Boston Still Scores

Brown (28.9%) and Porzingis (25.3%) have the second and third highest usage rates on the Celtics this season. When both are off the floor, Derrick White (+7.3%), Jayson Tatum (+6.3%) and Jrue Holiday (3.2%) all see massive bumps in their respective usage rates. Unsurprisingly, in these situations the three lead the team in this category.

In a way, that’s not surprising. At all. But what really piques my interest is that all three ALSO see between a 4.4 and 5.2 increase in offensive rating. So maybe the Celtics offense doesn’t stutter as severely against the Suns sans Brown? 

 

 

Suns vs. Celtics Injury Report For Thursday, March 14

The Celtics might be undermanned tonight, while the Suns should have a fully healthy version of their “Big Three.” This draws a stark contrast between their last contest on Saturday.

Phoenix Suns Injury News

Boston Celtics Injury News

Suns vs. Celtics: Last Game Can Be Thrown Out The Window

In the previous meeting between these two teams, Boston was without starting center Kristaps Porzingis. The long-limbed Latvian is again out tonight.

While Porzingis sat, Boston got a big night out of Jaylen Brown. The 27-year-old racked up 18 first-half points en route to an efficient 27-point performance in 34 minutes.

 

 

 

Brown sat out Boston’s last game against the Jazz on Tuesday due to a back issue. He sports a very firm “Questionable” tag tonight with a hip injury - a seemingly different injury than what he already had been struggling with.

On the other side of the court, Devin Booker missed Saturday’s matchup, but should suit up this evening. There’s not much digging that needs to be done to understand that a swap of Brown going out and Booker coming in will significantly tilt the starpower scale towards the Suns.

 

 

But the Celtics are an other-worldly 29-3 at home this season (!!!) and have proven time and time again that they can win - and comfortably - even when their stars sit. Models all point to a Boston victory, but the money line is juiced up and the 6-point spread doesn’t offer any value.

And despite my confidence, and despite all this analysis….what if Brown ends up playing?

All said, I don’t want any part of the game picks.

 

 

 

Suns vs. Celtics Odds & Latest Lines At BetMGM

Suns vs. Celtics Moneyline: 

  • Suns +180
  • Celtics -220

Suns vs. Celtics Spread:

  • Suns +5.5 (-110)
  • Celtics -5.5 (-110)

Suns vs. Celtics Game Total (Over-Under):

  • Over 227.5 (-105)
  • Under 227.5 (-115)

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