The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers take their first-round playoff series to Philadelphia on Friday night for Game 3, with the teams tied 1-1 after splitting the first two games in Boston. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena, where the Celtics are favored by 7.5 points.
Boston opened the series with a 123-91 win in Game 1, then Philadelphia answered with a 111-97 victory in Game 2. The betting line reflects that split: the Celtics are -300 on the moneyline, while the 76ers are +240.
Game 3 is the first of two straight in Philadelphia, giving the 76ers a chance to swing the series on home court before Game 4 on Sunday at 7 p.m. on NBC. If the series goes the distance, Game 5 would be in Boston on Tuesday, April 28, Game 6 would be in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 30, and Game 7 would return to Boston on Saturday, May 2.
That schedule puts a premium on the next 48 hours. Philadelphia does not need to sweep at home, but a split in Games 3 and 4 would preserve its chance to keep the series alive heading back to Boston. For the Celtics, taking one of the two road games would restore control after Game 2 evened the matchup and turned the series into a much shorter race.
