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Philadelphia (0-0) at Boston (0-0)
- When: Oct 22 2025, 7:30 PM
- Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA, USA
- TV: NBCS-BOS
Philadelphia vs Boston Preview & Prediction
Spread: Boston -2.0
Moneyline: Boston (-130)
Total: 228.0
The Battle of the Bruised Titans
Here we go again, Boston and Philly, two proud franchises ready to punch each other in the ego to start the season. The Celtics are favored by 2.0 points at home, mostly because someone had to be, and Vegas looked at the Sixers’ injury report before shrugging. The total sits at 228, which feels just about right if both teams remember how to shoot and not just tweet about “the process.”
Philly rolls into Boston with enough medical updates to fill a CVS receipt. Paul George might play, or he might still be stuck in rehab mode, testing his knee while Nick Nurse tells reporters he “looked good.” Translation: no one has a clue if he’ll actually suit up. Then there’s Joel Embiid, who played 19 minutes in preseason and somehow logged a triple-double pace in that time, classic Embiid efficiency, equal parts dominance and drama.
Philadelphia 76ers Outlook
If the Sixers want to matter this season, Embiid’s knees have to last longer than your phone battery on TikTok. Rookie V.J. Edgecombe is already being hyped like the second coming of Jimmy Butler meets Spider-Man. Nurse swears the kid’s ahead of schedule, which probably means he’ll be guarding Jayson Tatum’s replacement before Halloween.
Philly’s real question isn’t talent, it’s whether they can stay healthy and, frankly, sane. If Embiid and George both play, the Sixers can absolutely steal this one. If not, fans might want to start googling lottery odds again.
Boston Celtics Outlook
The Celtics, meanwhile, are the NBA’s version of a luxury car missing half its parts but still trying to drive uphill. Jayson Tatum’s Achilles is still in the repair shop, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were shipped out, and Al Horford decided to retire his knees instead of testing them against Embiid again.
Enter seven-foot mystery man Neemias Queta as the new starting center. His mission: pretend he’s not terrified of guarding Embiid and avoid personal foul number six by halftime. Boston did bring in Anfernee Simons for scoring punch off the bench, though that might just mean more contested 28-footers. Jaylen Brown is also nursing hamstring tightness, but if he plays, Boston’s offense will still hum like a broken blender, loud, unpredictable, but somehow effective.
Prediction
This game has all the chaos you could want on opening night: injury questions, new faces, and two fanbases who think they’re cursed. Boston at home gets the nod mostly because they’re slightly healthier and have a deeper bench of players who can still walk. Grab your popcorn, your aspirin, and your live bet slip, this one’s gonna get weird fast.
Final Score: Celtics 116, 76ers 111
Lean: Boston -2.0
Total: Under 228.0
- NBA Basketball Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
- Get real-time live scores & latest betting odds here!
