Denver Nuggets vs. Boston Celtics Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Use Code WWWC Denver Nuggets (24-12) vs. Boston Celtics (23-12)
The 2025-26 NBA betting action goes on Wednesday, January 7, with a huge 12-game card, and in this preview, we are breaking down the cross-conference battle from TD Garden in Boston, MA, to get you the Nuggets vs. Celtics prediction.
Denver meets Boston for the first time this season. In 2024-25, the Celtics swept the Nuggets, beating Denver 118-106 as 10.5-point road underdogs and 110-103 home favorites.
Read more about this Nuggets vs. Celtics prediction, and check out all our NBA picks for Wednesday’s slate. The tip-off at TD Garden is set at 7:00 PM ET.
The Nuggets have serious injury worries
The Denver Nuggets (24-12; 21-15 ATS; 24-12 O/U) are coming off Monday’s 125-124 overtime victory at the Philadelphia 76ers. After consecutive defeats at the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-108 and the Brooklyn Nets 127-115, the Nuggets overcame their injury problems to stun the Sixers as 14.5-point underdogs.
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The Nuggets missed their entire starting lineup last Monday. Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr. were out, too, and the Nuggets had only nine available players. Jalen Pickett led the way for the undermanned Nuggets with 29 points and seven assists, while Peyton Watson had 24 points and seven rebounds.
Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas are all on the shelf and will remain there for a few more weeks. Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun should be ready to play against Boston after sitting out the 76ers game on the second day of a back-to-back, while Jamal Murray and Tim Hardaway Jr. are listed as questionable.
The Celtics aim for their fifth straight win
The Boston Celtics (23-12; 21-14 ATS; 16-19 O/U) have won eight of their previous nine games overall and are undefeated in four straight outings. During their winning streak, the Celtics have beaten the Utah Jazz 129-119, the Sacramento Kings 120-106, the LA Clippers 146-115, and the Chicago Bulls 115-101.
The Celtics are coming off Monday’s comfortable victory over the Bulls, who scored just 33 first-half points. Boston made just 40.4% of its field goals, but the Celtics committed only eight turnovers while going 20-for-52 from beyond the arc. Anfernee Simmons led the way for Boston with 27 points, and Payton Pritchard had 21 points and five assists.
Jaylen Brown scored just 14 points against the Bulls. Last Saturday, Brown dropped a 50 burger on the Clippers, and the Celtics made 24 of their 51 shots from deep. Brown (29.6 PPG) is the Celtics’ leading scorer in Jayson Tatum’s absence, and Tatum won’t play this season due to an Achilles injury.
Nuggets vs. Celtics Pick
Spread Pick for Nuggets vs. Celtics
- Boston Celtics (4 units)
The healthy Celtics shouldn’t have too many problems beating the injury-depleted Nuggets. Without Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas, the Nuggets are pretty thin at center, while Jamal Murray’s eventual absence would hurt the Nuggets’ backfield a lot.
Denver boasts the highest offensive rating in the NBA, tallying 124.4 points per 100 possessions. However, without Jokic, the Nuggets tally 116.4 points per 100 possessions while yielding 119.4 points in return.
Boston boasts the second-highest offensive rating in the league, notching 122.9 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics look like a better defensive team than the Nuggets, so I’m backing Boston to win and cover. This is a tough spot for the Nuggets, who close down their seven-game road trip.
Over/Under Pick for Nuggets vs. Celtics
- Over (4 units)
The Celtics play at the slowest pace in the NBA, recording 95.8 possessions per 48 minutes. However, their offensive execution is elite, and the Celtics heavily rely on 3-pointers. Boston is third in the league in 3-point rate (.475) and eighth in 3-point percentage (36.8%).
On the other side, the Nuggets are 22nd in 3-point rate (.396), but they lead the NBA in 3-point percentage (40.2%). Without Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets register just 95.1 possessions per 48 minutes. Still, I have to take the over. Denver has allowed 124 or more points in six of its last eight games overall.
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