Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Predictions

Boston's results support the favorite

Boston enters Wednesday's preseason game at TD Garden with a 2-0 record after beating Philadelphia 144-106 and Cleveland 124-113. Charlotte is 1-1 following a 105-90 win over Milwaukee and a 124-90 loss to Brooklyn. Those results favor the Celtics, but the SPF price requires bettors to lay -278 on the moneyline or 7.5 points.

Unconfirmed lineups make the price hard to back

Hoops Nightly, an NBA matchup and schedule publication, lists six Charlotte players and three Boston players as day-to-day. Charlotte's Kon Knueppel and Grayson Allen carry injury designations while also appearing in the projected starting five.

Neither starting lineup is confirmed. Boston's projected five is Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Paul George, Neemias Queta and Sam Hauser. Charlotte projects Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Allen, Royce O'Neale and Naz Reid. With confirmations expected about 30 minutes before tip-off, late availability and preseason rotation choices could determine whether Boston covers and whether the game reaches the 224.5 total.

The Celtics are the likely winner, but their recent results don't justify paying -278 amid that uncertainty. The spread and total depend too heavily on lineups and playing time that haven't been confirmed, so the betting lean is Pass.