76ers Celtics Vie for NBA Conference Finals Spot
By beating the Boston Celtics 82-75 on Wednesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers tied their Eastern Conference Semifinals best-of-7 series 3-3, which means whoever comes out top in Game 7 tomorrow night (Saturday, May 26) will snatch the fourth and final spot in the NBA Conference Finals.
Whichever team wins that game will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, while in the Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs are up against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wednesday's victory was an epic on for the 76ers as it marked the first time since the NBA finals in 1982 that the team will face the Spurs in Game 7 of an Eastern Conference Semifinals series. On Wednesday, the 76ers, in front of a frenzied home crowd, were firing on all cylinders, despite being on the cusp of being knocked out.
76ers Played a Cracking Game Last Time Out
Players that shined for Philadelphia included Jrue Holiday, who put a cracking 20 points up on the board, as well as Elton Brand, who added 13 points and 10 rebounds to the proceedings. Legendary 76ers veteran Julius Erving was in the locker room after the game to congratulate the team on a job well done.
He said the victory transported him back to 1982 when he and fellow 76ers legend Andrew Toney led their team to a victory over the Celtics and into that year's Eastern Conference Finals, and on to the NBA Finals, where they ultimately lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Lakers.
But as pumped up as the 76ers will be come Saturday night, there is no doubt that the Celtics will be equally eager to snatch a Game 7 win and progress to the Conference Finals. They too have a lot riding on the game.
Celtics Have Home Court Advantage on Saturday
And it won't be lost on NBA betting fans that Boston will have the home court advantage this weekend, added to the fact that the Celtics have won a record 14 NBA Finals, their most recent being in 2008, so they are eager to rack up their second championship of the new millenium.
That said, the Celtics are no doubt rattled by the 76ers who seemed to have come from nowhere this season and have more than proved that they can take on and beat the better teams in high pressure games.
So for our NBA betting buck, we see the 76ers triumphant on Saturday night, despite their underdog status at leading online sportsbook, Bodog, and most others:
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics Odds at Bodog
| Spread | Money Line | Total | |
| A Philadelphia 76ers | +5½ 10/11 | 23/10 | o170 10/11 |
| H Boston Celtics | -5½ 10/11 | 4/11 | u170 10/11 |
