The Celtics have lost five of their last seven and are coming off a frustrating one-point home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. But they should be in a decent spot Tuesday against a short-handed Golden State club that will be without standout rookie James Wiseman because of an injured wrist. The Celtics also are comfortable in the Bay Area, where they have covered six of the last seven meetings. Look for Boston star Jaylen Brown to present a difficult matchup as the Celtics pull away.

The Warriors have won three of four, but those victories came against the Timberwolves (twice) and the Pistons. Except for their Jan. 18 win over the Lakers, the Warriors have typically faltered against the better teams. I believe Boston fits that bill, even without Marcus Smart. Look for the Celtics to improve to 7-1 ATS in their last eight visits to Golden State.