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The Portland Trail Blazers (23–23) head to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics (28–17) on Monday night, January 26, 2026. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, and the Celtics come in as sizable 8.5-point favorites at home. Portland is fighting to stay above the Western Conference play-in line, while Boston remains firmly in the East’s top tier and will be looking to bounce back after a tight loss over the weekend.
The Blazers are dealing with an extended list of injuries, while the Celtics have been dominant at home for most of the season. With Boston’s depth and defensive efficiency, this matchup leans heavily toward the favorite — but the market is sharp, and there are still angles for spread, total, and derivative value.
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Trail Blazers vs Celtics Odds
Here are the current odds. Always check the latest NBA odds for updated prices and line movement before tip.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | -450 | -8.5 (-110) | O/U 224.5 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +350 | +8.5 (-111) | O/U 224.5 |
Trail Blazers Betting Form
The Portland Trail Blazers are sitting right at .500, but it’s been anything but consistent. They’ve alternated wins and losses over their last five games and are battling injuries to key pieces across the board. Still, there have been some positive signs — rookie big Donovan Clingan has stepped up with strong rebounding and interior scoring, and Jerami Grant continues to shoulder much of the offensive workload.
But the deck is stacked against them heading into Boston. According to the Portland Trail Blazers injury report, they’ll be without Scoot Henderson, Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, Duop Reath, Blake Wesley, and Kris Murray. Deni Avdija and Robert Williams III are also questionable. That leaves the Blazers heavily reliant on Grant, Clingan, and a mix of G-league level depth.
Offensively, this team struggles when their primary playmakers are unavailable. Ball movement stagnates, spacing shrinks, and shot quality plummets. Against a team like Boston that forces long possessions and rotates cleanly, that’s a huge concern. Portland doesn’t shoot a ton of threes, and their turnover rate has been creeping up — all bad signs in a game where they’ll need to be near perfect to hang around.
Defensively, the Blazers have been better in spots, but without rim protectors or high-level wing defenders healthy, it’s tough to stop quality offensive teams for 48 minutes. That’s a key reason they’ve struggled to cover bigger spreads against top-tier opponents, especially on the road.
Celtics Betting Form
The Boston Celtics come into this game at 28–17 and looking to pad their home record. Despite a recent road loss, they’ve been dominant in their own building and continue to operate as one of the league’s most complete teams on both ends. Jaylen Brown is healthy and leading the charge with a balanced scoring approach, while Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are giving consistent secondary production.
Boston ranks near the top of the league in net rating and continues to generate efficient offense through ball movement and spacing. They average fewer turnovers than most teams, shoot a high volume of quality threes, and consistently win the rebounding battle — especially at home. Even without Jayson Tatum (Achilles), their offense doesn’t fall apart.
Defensively, the Celtics are long, active, and disciplined. They force opponents into midrange jumpers and are one of the better teams in the league at defending without fouling. Against a depleted Blazers team, this could turn into a game where they run up the score and tighten the screws in the third quarter.
Jayson Tatum is out, and Josh Minott and Neemias Queta are questionable. You’ll want to monitor the Boston Celtics injury report to confirm final rotations. But Boston’s depth has held up well all season, and they’ve routinely covered large spreads when favored at home against short-handed opponents.
Trail Blazers vs Celtics Matchup Breakdown
This matchup is lopsided on paper. Boston has advantages in every key category: offensive rating, defensive rating, rebounding, turnover margin, and three-point shooting. The only potential equalizer — a massive performance from Grant or Clingan — likely isn’t enough to bridge the gap without support.
Pace favors the Celtics slightly. They’re not one of the fastest teams, but they control tempo well and don’t allow many transition points. The Blazers have been inconsistent in pace, especially when undermanned, and often bog down in halfcourt sets when they’re forced to go deep into the bench.
Here are a few key matchup angles that matter for bettors:
- Turnovers: Portland turns it over at a higher clip, and Boston capitalizes.
- Three-point shooting: Boston takes and makes more efficient threes.
- Bench minutes: Portland’s depth is thin; Boston’s second unit can extend leads.
- Rebounding: Boston’s edge on the boards should limit second-chance chances for Portland.
All signs point to Boston dictating the flow — especially if they jump out early and force Portland to play from behind with short rotations. If the Celtics build a double-digit lead before halftime, covering the -8.5 becomes a matter of holding serve.
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Trail Blazers vs Celtics Predictions and Best Bets
This spread is wide for a reason. Boston has been excellent at home and is playing one of the most shorthanded teams in the league. Even without Tatum, the Celtics have more than enough to cover a single-digit spread here — especially when the Blazers are missing multiple starters and primary ball-handlers.
The total — estimated around 224.5 — is a little trickier. It depends on whether Portland can score enough to keep pace. If Boston limits their early production and slows the pace late, there’s a decent chance this game sneaks under. That said, if Boston’s offense is cooking and Portland contributes even 100 points, it could flirt with the over.
From a betting perspective, the strongest edge is with the side. Boston covers as home favorites, and Portland doesn’t cover when missing half the roster. Keep it simple here — don’t overthink the number.
Best Bet: Celtics -8.5 (-110)
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