Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Game 3 Preview, Picks & Odds for Friday, April 24, 2026

By Braxton Reynolds | Apr 23, 2026, 7:46pm

Game 3 between the Boston Celtics (1-1) and Philadelphia 76ers (1-1) is set for 7 p.m. Eastern on Amazon Prime. Joel Embiid remains sidelined and is expected to miss the entire series.

Celtics vs. 76ers Betting Analysis

The Celtics cruised to a 32-point win in Game 1 but fell flat in Game 2 because they made just 26% of their 50 three-point attempts. The contest highlighted a key difference between Boston’s current roster and its 2024 championship team – the title squad had more scoring versatility when triples were not falling, such as Kristaps Porzingis posting up or Jrue Holiday bully-balling smaller guards.

Now, Boston probably experiences shooting regression and goes on to win the series, but the team’s lack of rim pressure outside of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum is concerning for later rounds.

The 76ers also deserve their flowers for responding after an atrocious Game 1 performance. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 59 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Paul George excelled as the third banana in this contest. The bench also stepped up and won its minutes.

If Edgecombe can give Philadelphia at least 20 points per game, then the 76ers have enough firepower to go the distance assuming their defense holds up. The vast majority of his attempts in Game 2 were catch-and-shoot triples or pull-up jumpers, so Edgecombe getting downhill a bit more would increase his scoring floor in this series.

The best bet is taking Jaylen Brown to score at least 26 points. According to NBA.com, Philadelphia’s defense surrendered the 10th-highest restricted area attempt rate (30.5%) and the 7th-highest free throw attempt rate after the All-Star break. The 76ers are even more vulnerable at the rim with Embiid out.

Brown led the NBA in field goal attempts per 75 possessions this season and also ranked eighth in free throw attempts per 75 possessions. He’s too strong for Philadelphia to keep him out of the paint. Through two games, Brown has scored 26 and 36 points.

Celtics vs. 76ers Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: Jaylen Brown O25.5 Points (-122)
Score Prediction: Celtics 116, 76ers 109

Celtics vs. 76ers Game Odds

Celtics vs. 76ers Game Information

Date: Friday, April 24, 2026
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Network: APVO
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena – 231.3 ppg; 19-22-1 O/U
Series Score: Tied 1-1

Celtics vs. 76ers Betting Resources

Celtics vs. 76ers Key Players

Celtics

Jaylen Brown – Last Game: 36 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Jayson Tatum – Last Game: 19 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists
Derrick White – Last Game: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

76ers

Tyrese Maxey – Last Game: 29 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists
Paul George – Last Game: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
VJ Edgecombe – Last Game: 30 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists

Braxton Reynolds

Braxton has been covering the NBA for Lineups since the 2022 season. He's worked with multiple collegiate coaching staffs regarding analytics and scouting, which has allowed him to understand the game on a deeper level. Braxton also currently writes about the Oklahoma City Thunder for Thunder Roundtable.