BOSTON CELTICS VS. HOUSTON ROCKETS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — January 27, 2025

BOSTON CELTICS VS. HOUSTON ROCKETS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — January 27, 2025 — Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from today’s slate features the Boston Celtics (32-14 SU, 19-27 ATS) hosting the Houston Rockets (30-14 SU, 26-18 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

When: Monday, January 27, 2025 @ 7:30 PM ET

Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

TV: SCHN and NBCS-BOS

Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets — Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Celtics Look To Build On Road Win Over Mavericks

After a 117-96 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers last Thursday, the Celtics bounced back with a 122-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Jayson Tatum spearheaded a balanced scoring attack in which all five starters reached double figures.

He scored a team-high 24 points, grabbed six rebounds, and handed out three assists. Derrick White added 23 rebounds, four rebounds and four assists. He also knocked down four of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc. Jaylen Brown chipped in with 22 points, eight boards, and five dimes.

Boston trailed 16-6 early before trimming the deficit to 29-25 at the end of the opening stanza. However, the Cs took control of the game over the next two quarters, outscoring Dallas 71-47 en route to their third victory in four games. It is also worth noting that Boston, who leads in the association in 3-pointers made and attempted per game, shot 20-for-52 from distance.

Rockets Fresh Off Impressive Home-And-Home Sweep Over Cavaliers

On the other side of this matchup, the Rockets enter this tilt with back-to-back wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a 135-131 victory on Saturday night. Alperen Sengun paced the team’s offense with 26 points and eight rebounds. Jalen Green also scored 26 points, including five 3-pointers. Amen Thompson had a solid performance, finishing with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. He also had two blocked shots.

Houston led by a comfortable 17-point margin heading into the final frame, before the Cavaliers battled back to tie the game the game at 126 with 1:51 left to play in regulation. The Rockets responded with a 10-2 burst to take an eight-point lead. Donovan Mitchell missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 27 seconds left, enabling the Rockets to hold on for a four-point victory.

Now that we have set the stage for this pivotal showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

Celtics vs. Rockets Spread Analysis

With three wins in their last four contests, the Celtics enter this matchup as a 6.5-point favorite (per OddsShark.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Celtics are 3-6 ATS in their last nine games.
• Boston is 6-14 ATS in its previous 20 home outings.
• The Celtics have covered the spread in their last five games at TD Garden.
• Meanwhile, the Rockets are 6-3 ATS in their previous nine outings.
• Houston is 2-7 ATS in its last nine matchups against Boston.
• In their previous 10 Monday outings, the Rockets are 8-2 against the spread.

Prediction: Houston Rockets (+6.5)

Celtics vs. Rockets  Over/Under Prediction

The projected scoring total for this matchup is 222 points (via OddsShark.com). Let’s see why going with the “under” is the intelligent choice.

• The total has gone UNDER eight times in the Celtics’ last 12 games.
• The UNDER total is 7-1 in Boston’s previous eight Monday night games.
• The total has gone UNDER six times in the Rockets’ last seven road outings against Boston.
• The UNDER total has prevailed seven times in Houston’s last 10 matchups against Atlantic division opponents.

Prediction: UNDER 222 points

Celtics vs. Rockets Player Prop Bet

Following his 24-point, six-rebound effort against Dallas, Jayson Tatum is the key player to watch for the home team. He currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 25.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 25.5 points (via DraftKings.com).

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• During the season, Tatum is averaging 27.1 points per game.
• In 15 career matchups against Houston, Tatum has averaged 21.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per outing on 42 percent shooting from the field and 32.5 percent from 3-point range.
• Tatum has suited up in 21 home games this season. In those contests, he averages 26.0 points per contest.
• Across his last four starts, Tatum has put up 21.8 points per game and has failed to exceed the point total for this matchup every outing during that stretch.

Prediction: Jayson Tatum UNDER 25.5 points