The Celtics and 76ers continue their first round series with Game 5 in Boston on Tuesday. The Celtics lead this series 3-1 and can advance to the semi-finals with a win. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Boston is favored by 11.5 points and this game carries a total of 213.5 points.

Let’s dive into my preview and pick for this matchup.

Celtics vs. 76ers preview

After initially being listed as doubtful, Joel Embiid (appendix) made his return for Game 4. However, even with the former MVP back in the lineup, the Celtics blew out the 76ers 128-96 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Embiid didn’t have any restrictions and logged 34 minutes. The big man flirted with a triple-double, posting 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, but shot just 42% from the field and finished with a plus-minus of -25.

The 76ers’ offense was stagnant, as they were forcing plays to Embiid to get him going and in result, the red hot Tyrese Maxey only took 14 shots, after hoisting up at least 20 in the first three games of this series. Embiid didn’t help on defense, either, as Philadelphia’s defensive rating was a jaw-dropping 134.8 with him on the floor. The center was clearly a step slow on that side of the ball.

The center likely will put up another big stat line tonight as the 76ers must win to keep their season alive, but if Embiid doesn’t improve on defense, the Celtics very easily could run Philadelphia out the gym again. Following the Game 4 loss, the 76ers are just 11-11 in the games Embiid, Maxey and Paul George have been active for this season.

With the 76ers’ defense a complete mess in Embiid’s return, the Celtics’ offense took full advantage. Boston shot 48.3% from the field and 45.3% on three-pointers. Jayson Tatum was brilliant, posting 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. Jaylen Brown added 20 points and Payton Pritchard had his best game of the series, erupting for a playoff career-high 32 points. The guard shot 6-of-12 from deep, including a vintage buzzer-beating trey to close out the first quarter.

Pritchard is unlikely to score over 30 points again, but role players tend to play better at home, especially in the playoffs, and the guard having another strong performance in Game 5 is definitely possible. Derrick White, however, continued to be a non-factor on offense in Game 4, scoring only six points. The guard did go 2-for-4 deep, though, and he finished with two blocks and one steal. While his scoring was underwhelming, White was a +11, which is a big improvement from the two previous games.

The Celtics need White to pick it up on offense if they want to contend for another championship, but in this series vs. the 76ers, the veteran playing a smaller role is totally fine, as we saw in Game 4. The Celtics now head back home to TD Garden with a chance to advance. Boston is 31-12 at home this season and the club has a knack for closing out teams in Game 5s at TD Garden. Over the last three seasons, four of the Celtics’ five playoff series wins have been clinched with a Game 5 victory in Boston.

Celtics vs. 76ers pick, best bet

Embiid could improve defensively tonight, but will he improve enough to slow down the Celtics on their home floor in a closeout situation? I highly doubt it.

Boston should advance tonight with another easy win.

Best Bet: Celtics -11.5 (-115)