• Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets
• Thursday, March 8 at 10 p.m. ET
• Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
Is this a preview of the 2024 NBA Finals? That’s what a lot of people think is the case, as the Denver Nuggets are getting ready to host the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. We don’t have to tell you that this is not only one of the biggest contests of the week, but probably of the season. Which side will end up coming out on top? Entering play, the Nuggets are favored to beat the Celtics in a massive Thursday showdown.
This is the kind of game that’s only going to get people even more excited for the postseason to arrive. While there’s still a ton of time left in the regular season, the Celtics want to keep the good vibes going. Boston has the best record in the NBA right now and they’ve been basically unstoppable. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to lead the charge for this team, as they’re one of the best duos out there.
Denver vs Boston odds | |||
Nuggets to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Celtics to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
Over 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Under 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Meanwhile for the Nuggets, Denver is still riding high after winning the NBA Finals last season. Not only is this team a serious threat in the Western Conference, but a lot of experts think they have what it takes to repeat as the champs. That’s not going to be easy at all and there’s of course going to be a ton of pressure on Nikola Jokic to keep playing at an MVP level. If he can, then Denver will surely be a tough team to take down this spring.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Nuggets hold -110 NBA betting odds for this week’s showdown over the Celtics. Boston isn’t typically an underdog when they make their way onto the hardwood, but they have +125 NBA betting odds for their visit to Denver. The Nuggets have what it takes to come out on top, but something tells us the Celtics will be the ones smiling after the final whistle. We’re going with Boston as our pick.
Count the basket 🤯 pic.twitter.com/3T1FwEZ16S
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 6, 2024
The Celtics and Nuggets hold the best Finals betting odds
Leading up to this huge matchup, it’s important to remember that the Celtics and Nuggets hold the best Finals betting odds. This isn’t a surprise at all, as Boston is the best team in the league right now and the Nuggets are the reigning champions. With Denver, a lot of the focus is on Jokic, but Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray have also been outstanding. You can’t forget about Aaron Gordon and Reggie Jackson too.
With the Celtics, everyone loves Tatum and Brown working together and understandably so. They have the kind of chemistry that’s hard to find. The Milwaukee Bucks feel like the most serious threat for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference and Giannis Antetokoumpo is the big reason why. Giannis is easily a contender for league MVP once again and he knows what it takes to lead the Bucks to the NBA Finals glory.
CONFIRMED Team USA lineup for the Olympics!
PG – Steph Curry
SG – Jayson Tatum
SF – LeBron James
PF – Kevin Durant
C – Joel Embiid6th man – Jrue Holiday pic.twitter.com/LIFPt0FL4N
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) February 28, 2024
“Going into this season, we try and take the same approach: I’m getting better and he’s getting better,” Tatum said in a recent interview. “We’re two of the hungriest players in the league. “Everything we do, we compete in a good way — I’m pushing him, we play one-on-one after practice. I think the next step for us is feeding off each other more in a game.”
Right now, the Celtics hold the No. 1 NBA Finals betting odds at +250, but the Nuggets are right behind them at +400. This is a battle that’s going to be rockin’ for the rest of the year and it’s sure to be a see-saw battle. Only time will tell how things go down here, but we’d love to see these two teams face off in the NBA Finals. If that happens, you can expect plenty of fireworks. In the end, though, we have Boston winning it all. They’re our pick.
The over should hit between the Celtics and Nuggets on Thursday
With both of these teams playing so well on offense, we have a feeling that the over should hit between the Celtics and Nuggets on Thursday. Tatum and Jokic are two of the best scorers out there and they’ll look to put on a show at the Ball Arena. Both of these guys can knock down shots from all over the hardwood. They have a great supporting cast as well, which tells us that a lot of points are going to be scored in this one. How many?
Per the oddsmakers, the over/under has been set at 220 points, with -110 NBA betting odds for both. Because of how great Boston and Denver have been this year, a lot of people are expecting this game to be a total track meet – the guys won’t stop running up and down the floor. It’d be a major shock to us if the under covers. With all of that said, we’re surely going with the over as our pick for this one.