The Boston Celtics are set to tip off the NBA 2025-26 regular season against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, October 23. They will aim for a strong start after finishing the previous season with a 61-21 record for second spot in the Eastern Conference. They were knocked out of the playoffs following a 4-2 defeat to the New York Knicks in the Conference Semifinals. However, they will be without Jayson Tatum, who is expected to miss most of the 2025-26 season.
On the other hand, the Philadelphia 76ers will seek a favorable season after finishing 24-58 in the previous season. Joel Embiid, who had 19 appearances in the previous season, returns to the lineup and will hope to take the team to newer heights in the next campaign.
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Time: 7:30 pm ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
TV: NBCS-BOS, NBCS-PH
Live Stream: Fubo, NBA League Pass
| Picks | FanDuel | BetMGM |
| Jaylen Brown O 24.5 Points | -110 | -110 |
| Joel Embiid O 8.5 Rebounds | -152 | -130 |
| Total Points Under 226.5-227.5 | -112 | -105 |
Jaylen Brown, who dropped an average of 22.2 points per game in the last season, came up with a 21-point performance in one of the preseason games. While he couldn’t carry his momentum to the rest of the preseason tournament, we can expect him to step up and do the needful in absence of Jayson Tatum. Home court advantage also makes it a safe wage.
Joel Embiid, despite playing only 19 games last season, finished with the best rebounding average. He grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game for the 76ers last season. In addition to it, with the Celtics’ front court thin without Kristaps Porzingis, Embiid is expected to grab over 8 or 9 rebounds.
The Celtics and 76ers could start the season slow without full chemistry. Both teams could focus on defense in a high-profile opener, and hence, the under 227.5 points seems like a good bet.
The Boston Celtics had a solid preseason under coach Joe Mazzulla. They signed Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, Josh Minott, and Anfernee Simons who will add depth to their roster. The Celtics are expected to implement a new style with complete focus on pace and grit. This season, they will aim to fight within the margins and try to dominate in all 50/50 areas.
There are high hopes from the new rotation, especially with Minott and Gonzalez, who are capable of delivering impressive performances throughout the season. On the other hand, the 76ers will enter with a roster built around Joel Embiid, consisting of young players, considering Paul George will miss the season opener due to injury. They have Justin Edwards, Eric Gordon, Quentin Grimes and Kyle Lowry. Needless to say, the 76ers look confident but might need some time to get started.
The Celtics on the other hand, have the edge with home crowd and experience, and hence we think they could begin the season with a win.
Prediction: Boston Celtics to Win
The moneyline and spread show the Boston Celtics are favorites in the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. (Sourced from BetMGM)
| Moneyline | Spread | Total Points | |
| Boston Celtics | -145 | -2.5 (-110) | O 226.5 (-105) |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +118 | +2.5 (-110) | U 226.5 (-115) |
Here are the over/under and best player bets for the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, according to BetMGM.
Here are some of the over/under bets for the Celtics.
| Over/Under Bets | Over | Under |
| Derrick White 31.5 points | -110 | -120 |
| Neemias Queta 6.5 Rebounds | -135 | +100 |
| Payton Pritchard 4.5 Assists | -145 | +105 |
Given below are some of the best player bets for the Celtics.
Derrick White U 4.5 3PM: -140
Neemias Queta U 1.5 Blocks: -190
A. Simons U 16.5 Points: -115
Given below are some of the best over/under bets for the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Over/Under Bets | Over | Under |
| Joel Embiid 25.5 Points | -110 | -120 |
| Tyrese Maxey 5.5 Assists | -140 | +105 |
| Quentin Grimes 2.5 3PM | +135 | -185 |
Given below are some of the best player bets for the 76ers.
VJ Edgecombe U 11.5 Points: -125
Tyrese Maxey Over 2.5 3PM: -160
Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 11.5 Points: -105
The odds given above are sourced from BetMGM. Use BetMGM to ace your betting game across all sports.
The over/under for total points in the Celtics-76ers game is set at 227.5.
The Celtics have a slight -2.5 point edge over the 76ers.
Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.
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