Boston Celtics – Portland Trail Blazers: Jrue Holiday’s return
The Celtics host the Blazers in the second and final meeting of the season. Expect a cracker — two in-form teams, plenty of pace, and added emotion with Jrue Holiday back in Massachusetts for the first time since he left Boston.
Boston Celtics: must win at TD Garden 
The Celtics have been ticking over nicely. Four wins from six, Joe Mazzula’s men still moving through 2025-26 with calm — sitting second in the East. The buzzer loss to the Bulls (111-114) felt like a sideshow for Derrick Rose’s jersey retirement; the wins over the Nets (130-126 2OT) and Pacers (119-104) were mostly routine.
This one will be tougher — Portland beat Boston in the first meeting out in Oregon (114-108). Boston will lean on that tight defense (110.3 points allowed — third best in the league) to slow down Deni Avdija and co., and they’ll use home court to let the shooters fly from deep (36.9% on 42.7 attempts per game).
INJURY REPORT : Josh Minott (questionable) – Neemias Queta (questionable)
Portland Trail Blazers: bounce back after the setback 
Portland’s season has had three acts so far: a bright start, a sizable dip full of frustration, then a resurgence that’s put smiles back on fans’ faces. The result is a team roughly back to even. After the loss to Toronto (98-110), the aim is simple: beat the Celtics and avoid sliding back into a slump.
Tiago Splitter’s side have defended well over the last 15 games, giving up just 112.4 points per night. Donovan Clingan’s form helps, but against Boston it’ll be the wings tasked with hounding Jaylen Brown or Payton Pritchard. And you can bet Jrue Holiday will have extra motivation facing his old club.
INJURY REPORT : Deni Avdija (questionable) – Robert Williams III (questionable) – Scoot Henderson (OUT) – Kris Murray (OUT) – Duop Reath (OUT) – Matisse Thybulle (OUT) – Blake Wesley (OUT)
NBA Prediction Boston Celtics vs Portland Trail Blazers
Pick: Blazers don’t lose, or lose by 9 points or fewer
The Celtics are at home and should be near full strength. Portland will be missing several key pieces. Both teams look good right now, but Boston have the deeper squad and more experience, so they’re the safer pick. Expect a tight game — but Boston should have enough to come out on top.
_____
First — a word on our picks
- What we publish on Mathodds are analyses, nothing more. We offer an opinion, a snapshot of the moment, not a promise. Sport is unpredictable. A red card, an injury, a freak moment — and the whole script flips.
- Let’s be blunt: there’s no such thing as a risk-free bet. Even when it looks “obvious”, it can still go wrong. Yes, you can lose. It will happen.
- Be sensible. Bet small, set a budget and stick to it. Don’t touch money you need to live on. And don’t chase losses — it rarely ends well.
- Betting should stay a hobby, not a job or a steady income. If it’s taking over your life, pause. If needed, talk to a specialist service. That’s what they’re for.
- Ultimately, the responsibility is yours. Reading our content means you accept the risk is real and always will be, whatever the analysis says.
- Essential reminder: betting is forbidden to minors and must comply with your local laws. Gambling can spiral (loss of money, family stress, addiction). Need Help? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In the UK? Visit https://www.gambleaware.org/https://www.gambleaware.org/.
No promises from us
Our picks aren’t a contract. They have no legal weight. In short: you can’t hold us liable or demand compensation if a bet loses.
Info changes
A prediction is based on what we know when we write it. Between then and tip-off a lineup can change, a player can get hurt, conditions can shift — and the analysis can become outdated. We can’t be held responsible for that.
Your role
Before you bet, check that gambling is legal where you are. If it isn’t, that’s on you, not us.
Responsible gambling first
We’ll say it again: play responsibly. If you’re losing control, seek help straight away. We can’t be responsible for compulsive or excessive use of the information on this site.
Legal age
Mathodds content is for adults only. By browsing here you confirm you are of legal age to gamble in your jurisdiction.
About the images
The images and logos on Mathodds, including those of the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers and the NBA, are for illustration only. They don’t imply any official partnership or endorsement, and we don’t claim rights to them.
Those rights belong to the original creators. If an image causes an issue despite our care, contact us and we will remove it promptly.
Our only goal with these visuals is to make the pages easier to read. Nothing more. No commercial claim, no stealing other people’s work.
Leave a Reply