The Boston Celtics enter 2025 on a four-game Western Conference road trip, which begins on Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The pregame narrative: Both teams are strong on defence, so I’m backing a teased-up under in this +370 SGP. But I also like Jayson Tatum to clear his points prop, and for Rudy Gobert to succeed on the glass.
Check out my Celtics vs. Timberwolves same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 2.
Celtics vs. Timberwolves predictions
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Parlay: Under 225.5 points + Tatum over 25.5 points + Gobert over 9.5 rebounds (+370)
Under 225.5 points (-210): Only one-third of the NBA’s 30 teams are cashing unders at an above-50% clip this year. And two of those squads are the Celtics and Timberwolves.
- Boston allows 108.9 PPG (7th in the NBA), while Minnesota allows 107.4 PPG (4th).
- Each of their past three matchups in Minnesota went under 225.5 points.
- In their lone matchup this season (in Boston), the Celtics and Timberwolves combined for 212 points.
Both sides are strong defensively, but I also like this under because neither team plays particularly fast. Boston and Minnesota rank 21st and 25th, respectively, in possessions per game.
In their past 15 games, the T-Wolves have hit this under 14 times.
SGP legs
Tatum over 25.5 points (-134): A teased-up under on the game total doesn’t have me shying away from backing Tatum.
The eighth-year forward is on career-high paces for rebounds and assists this year, but he’s still made room for a 28.3 PPG scoring average.
That has plenty to do with Boston’s 3-point-heavy philosophy. Tatum is attempting a career-high 10.5 threes, which certainly raises his scoring floor.
Tatum has cashed this bet in 19 of 30 games this season, which includes a Nov. 24 matchup against Minnesota. He finished with 26 points that night despite struggling from the floor (8-for-21).
Also, Tatum has cashed this bet in 11 of 13 road games.
Gobert over 9.5 rebounds (-148): Gobert grabbed a season-high 20 rebounds when he faced the Celtics in November. I’m only asking for half of that tonight in this SGP.
The one-time rebounding champ isn’t at the peak of his powers, but he’s still on track to average more than 10.0 rebounds for a 10th consecutive year.
Since the 2021-22 season, Gobert has averaged 12.2 RPG against the Celtics and cashed this bet in five of six matchups.
Picks made at 9:10 a.m. ET 01/02/2025
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.