Celtics vs. Wizards prediction, odds, line: 2022 NBA picks, April 3 best bets from proven computer model

The Boston Celtics welcome the Washington Wizards to TD Garden for a Sunday afternoon matchup. Boston is 27-13 in home games this season, boasting a 48-30 overall record. Washington is 4-1 in the last five contests, improving to 34-43 overall, and the Wizards are 2-1 against the Celtics in 2021-22. Robert Williams (knee) is out for the Celtics, with Jayson Tatum (Patella) listed as probable. Bradley Beal (wrist), Kyle Kuzma (knee), and Vernon Carey (calf) are out for the Wizards.

Tip-off is at 1 p.m. ET in Boston. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Celtics as 13-point home favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 223 in the latest Wizards vs. Celtics odds. Before you make any Celtics vs. Wizards picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 24 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 83-51 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,600. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Wizards, and just locked in its picks and NBA prediction. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Wizards vs. Celtics:

• Wizards vs. Celtics spread: Celtics -13
• Wizards vs. Celtics over-under: 223 points
• Wizards vs. Celtics money line: Boston -1100, Washington +700
• WAS: The Wizards are 12-24-1 against the spread in road games
• BOS: The Celtics are 17-21-2 against the spread in home games

Why the Wizards can cover

Washington’s top strengths are on the defensive end of the floor. The Wizards lead the NBA in fast break points allowed, giving up only 8.7 per game. Washington is also No. 2 in the league in 3-pointers allowed (11.1 per game) and No. 2 in the NBA in assists allowed (23.2 per game). The Wizards land firmly in the top 10 in blocked shots (5.0 per game) and second-chance points allowed (12.6 per game), and the Celtics fall below the league average in 3-point accuracy and free throw creation. 

On offense, Washington is No. 6 in the league in field goal percentage, converting 47 percent of attempts. The Wizards make 54.2 percent of two-point attempts, and Washington is in the top ten of the NBA in turnovers per game (13.1), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.91) and assist percentage (61.7 percent). Washington averages almost 25 assists per game, and the Wizards are averaging 21.9 free throw attempts per contest, an above-average figure in the NBA.

Why the Celtics can cover

Boston has been the best team in the NBA since late January, with the Celtics posting a 23-5 record and out-scoring opponents by 13.7 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics are very strong on offense, scoring 112.7 points per 100 possessions for the season, and Boston is uber-elite on defense. The Celtics yield 1.06 points per possession, the best mark in the NBA, and Boston leads the NBA in field goal percentage allowed (43.4 percent), two-point percentage allowed (49.7 percent) and assists allowed (21.5 per game). 

Boston is also No. 2 in the league in 3-point accuracy allowed (33.9 percent), and the Celtics are in the top three in points allowed in the paint (42.4 per game) and blocked shots (5.9 per game). Boston is in the top quartile of the league in free throw prevention, second-chance points allowed, and fast break points allowed, and Washington has some glaring offensive weaknesses. The Wizards rank in the bottom five of the NBA in offensive rebound rate and fast break points.

How to make Wizards vs. Celtics picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 228 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Celtics vs. Wizards? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.