Game Time: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, December 10th, 2021 

Venue:   Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona

Where to Watch: ESPN 

Opening NBA Odds at USA Sportsbooks

DraftKings:  Spread:  NL

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  NL

Opening Lines:  Suns -5.5 /// Moneyline: Celtics +190, Suns -238

Celtics: 13-13, 10th place Eastern Conference

Suns: 20-4, 2nd place Western Conference

The Celtics are 26 games into the season.  Every team can exhale now… the stats and the standings are finally accurately telling us who they all are.  The Celtics are a .500 team which is only good for 10th place in the East.  The Celtics have two stars in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum… and a collection of undersized role players.  In the span of 18 months the Celtics have gone from a team on the cusp of an NBA Championship to a team leapfrogged by the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Washington Wizards, and the Charlotte Hornets.  What did all those teams do to get better?.. Draft well and trade.  Yes, illness and injury has taken a toll on the Celtics but it has on everyone.  The Celtics have only beaten 2 of their last 5 opponents and they were The Portland Trail Blazers who are missing a superstar max player to injury and the Philadelphia 76ers who are also missing a max player to… trade demand tantrum.  The Celtics just aren’t a quality team anymore… the rubik’s cube of roster moves has ground to a halt and the Celtics must decide on how to spin it next or remain below average.

The Phoenix Suns are big ballers!  They are almost a perfectly balanced team.  The floor general is savvy Veteran point guard and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.  Chris leads a roster of quality young NBA stars and committed role players that seem to all love playing together and playing for Coach Monty Williams.  They are pure joy to watch on offense and play an inspired team defense.  If my bookie let me bet moneyline on the NBA, I’d bet Suns all season… (that’s why we have the point spread).

Jim Feist has isolated one game in the NBA Western Conference tonight where one team holds the edge and key to cover this matchup. Join a Vegas betting veteran with nearly five decades of winning experience and WIN with JIM tonight on his NBA Western Conference Game of the Week. Get Jim Feist’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

Boston is 13-13 on the season, but 14-12 ATS.  They have logged 11 Overs, 14 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 7-9 in road games.  They are 5-5 over their last ten games and have lost their last two games straight.  They lost to the Lakers in LeBron James’ return from injury game… and they lost to the Clippers (who haven’t had Kawhi all season).  Friday night against the Suns will be the third game away from home court at TD Garden.

Phoenix is 20-4, but 12-12 ATS.  They have notched 10 Overs and 14 Unders.  They are a sparkling 11-2 in home games. Prior to losing to the Golden State Warriors last week the Suns were on a 17 game winning streak!  A franchise record of inspired basketball.  They beat the San Antonio Spurs on Monday and have had a few days of rest in between.

The Celtics are 12th in the NBA in points with 108.7 per game, 7th in rebounds with 46 per game, and 16th in AST/TO ratio with 1.6.  The problem is of course they are shooting lousy 21st in FG% , 22nd in 3PT%... the saving grace that keeps the Celtics at .500 on the season is they are 1st in free throws… a lot of bettors don’t think free throws are that big of a deal, but remember a couple of points can spoil a point spread.

The Suns are 5th in PTS with 111.4 per game, 14th in rebounds with 45 per, 4th in AST/TO ratio with 1.9 (thanks Chris Paul)... and they are shooting 2nd in FG%, 5th in 3PT%.... Plus they are defending the other teams FG% well enough for 4th in the league!  This is a well balanced, strongly motivated team.  The playoffs are the least of the Sun's wishes.  They can mow you down like they did the Nuggets, the Pacers, the Rockets, the New York Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets and everyone else who got caught up in the 17 game streak.

Our prediction for Friday, December 10th is….  Suns 118 - Celtics 99

The Celtics do have Marcus Smart that can play solid defense on Chris Paul, but that isn’t nearly enough to rescue this underdog.  The bet is Suns to win… I’d avoid the Over/Under as the Suns' scores have proven to go big or small while still getting the win.

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The Suns are 2-2 ATS versus Boston over the last 3 seasons.

Phoenix is 1-1 ATS versus Boston at Phoenix over the last 3 seasons.

Both of these games in Phoenix have gone Under the last 3 seasons.

Celtics: SG Jaylen Brown (conditioning) Out ** PF Jabari Parker (illness) Quest

Suns: SG Devin Booker (hamstring) Doubtful ** Frank Kamisky (knee) Out indefinitely ** SF Dario Saric (knee) Out indefinitely

Celtics: F Jayson Tatum, F Al Horford, C Robert Williams III, G Marcus Smart, G Dennis Schroder

Suns: F Mikal Bridges, F Jae Crowder, C Deandre Ayton, G Chris Paul, G Landry Shamet

Boston

Points: Jayson Tatum 25.7

Assists: Marcus Smart 5.6

Rebounds: Jayson Tatum 8.8

Steals: Marcus Smart 2.2

Blocks: Robert Williams III 1.7

Phoenix

Points: Devin Booker 23.2

Assists: Chris Paul 10.1

Rebounds: Deandre Ayton 11.1

Steals: Chris Paul 2.0

Blocks: JaVale McGee 0.8

Boston:  Ime Udoka.  Coach Udoka took over this team this season.  Last year’s coach went up to the GM job and GM Danny Ainge was put out to pasture.  It feels like the end of something and unfortunately the new coach is caught in the blast range.  Hopefully some moves are made to justify the rest of the season.

Phoenix: Monty Williams.  Coach Williams must be having the time of his life.  He is reunited with Chris Paul, the young guys have grown into real stars, and Mikal Bridges is a revelation.  A perfect two way player.  Give em heck coach!