Get ready for another promising Thursday night of NBA basketball, as the Boston Celtics square off with the Sacramento Kings for the first time this season at Mexico City Arena. The Celtics have won six of the last 10 meetings and will look to keep on imposing their dominance again this evening. Can they succeed in doing so?
Read on below for a complete breakdown of this matchup, and while you’re at it, check out our preview of the game between OKC and Miami.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Boston Celtics vs. Sacramento Kings Betting Preview
Where: Mexico City Arena
When: Thursday, December 3, 10:00 PM ET
Line: Boston Celtics (-2) vs. Sacramento Kings (+2); total: 215.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: CSNN
Betting on the Boston Celtics (10-8)
Following a 19-point blowout loss at Orlando, the Boston Celtics responded back with a win on Monday night, 105-95, against the visiting Miami Heat. That win marked their 10th of the season and helped them keep in step with the Raptors in the Atlantic Division race. Now, the Celtics will aim for the same results tonight opposite the Sacramento Kings.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Key to their success will greatly depend on their dynamic backcourt of Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas, who have been doing a tremendous job in leading the offense for the Celtics thus far.
Bradley is averaging 16.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 2.1 APG while has also scored in double figures over the past 10 games. That stretch includes his 25-point performance against the Heat. Thomas, meanwhile, has been making plays for not just himself but for others as well. He boasts team-bests of 20.8 PPG and 6.2 APG through 18 games. The two guards are bound to be even more aggressive versus a Sacramento defense that’s allowing 108.5 points per contest, the second-highest in the league.
However, the Celtics have their flaws of course and one of those is their carelessness with the basketball (16.1 turnovers per game). They’ll need to avoid these unnecessary mistakes if they wish to emerge victorious later.
Apart from the turnovers, they also have to worry about defending against the pair of offensive threats in DeMarcus Cousins (28.2 PPG) and Rudy Gay (18.5 PPG). The Celtics defense will really have to step up again in this game.
Boston is 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in its last 10 games.
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Betting on the Sacramento Kings (7-12)
The Sacramento Kings are off to a not-so-good start this season. They have only won seven of their first 19 games. Although, improvements have gradually shown through each game and that includes their most recent victory against Dallas on Monday night, 112-98.
DeMarcus Cousins, who missed the past three contests due to a lower back strain, wasted no time in making an impact during his return. He torched the Mavs by filling up the stat sheet with 31 points, nine rebounds and six dimes. Across 11 games this season, Cousins is averaging team-highs of 28.2 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 1.5 BPG.
Cousins will likely draw a lot of double-teams when they take on the Boston Celtics tonight. Once that happens, the All-Star center won’t have any shortage of outside shooters to pass the rock to. For one there’s Rudy Gay, who’s proven himself to be a legitimate threat from almost anywhere on the court. Gay is posting 18.5 points per game and is shooting the ball at a respectable rate of 45.2 percent.
Other than Gay, there’s still the pair of three-point specialists in Marco Belinelli and Omri Casspi. The two have been the main reasons why Sacramento’s ranked fifth in the NBA right now in terms of three-point shooting at 37.4 percent.
Meanwhile, their point guard Rajon Rondo (12. 9 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 10.7 APG) may not have an outside game, but he’s found a way to make his presence felt. He’s been attacking the basket, grabbing the rebounds and getting his teammates involved every time he steps on the hardwood.
Sacramento is 4-6 SU and 5-5 ATS in its previous 10 encounters with Boston.
Writer’s Prediction
Boston (-2) wins by single-digits. Create a betting account now and put your NBA predictions to the test!
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