Boston Celtics vs. Washington Wizards Odds, Analysis, NBA Playoff Betting Pick

The Washington Wizards will attempt to keep the home team unbeaten and stave off elimination in this second-round series against the Boston Celtics as solid favorites for Game 6 on Friday.

The Celtics kept the perfect record of the hosts intact both straight up and against the spread with a 123-101 rout of the Wizards in Game 5 on Wednesday as four-point chalk.

Point spread: The Wizards opened as 5.5-point favorites; the total is at 216, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. Line updates and matchup report.

NBA betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 116.5-109.0, Wizards (NBA picks on every game)

Why the Celtics can cover the spread

Sooner or later, there has to be a close game in this series, right? Boston was not competitive in Games 3 and 4 at Washington but struck back in Game 5 with the team's third double-digit victory to take a 3-2 series lead. The Celtics did not need a monster performance from point guard Isaiah Thomas either, although he was still aggressive and made 6-of-7 shots from the free-throw line en route to scoring 18 points.

Avery Bradley led the way with 29 points while Al Horford scored 19 and Jae Crowder added 18 to put four starters in double figures. Another team effort like that will get Boston to the Eastern Conference Finals and a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Why the Wizards can cover the spread

The home team is not only 5-0 SU in this series but also 5-0 ATS as stated earlier, with every game decided by 10 points or more. The Wizards are also 4-0 SU and ATS in the past four home meetings with the Celtics, going 7-2 SU and 6-2-1 ATS dating back to 2014.

The backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal combined to score 37 points on 14-of-36 shooting (38.9 percent) in Game 5, but they should have no problem bouncing back at home. The duo scored 56 points between them in Game 4 at the Verizon Center, and they could top that in Game 6.

Smart betting pick

Boston played so poorly at Washington in Games 3 and 4, making it hard to believe that the team can keep Game 6 close. The Celtics know they have played extremely well at TD Garden and get to host a Game 7 if necessary. Meanwhile, the Wizards face a must-win situation and will again come through with a big win and cover to stay alive.

NBA betting trends

Boston is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games.

Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last six games on the road.

Washington is 4-8-1 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Boston.

All NBA lines and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.