After surrendering a big early lead, the Boston Celtics rallied back and nearly beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4. But then James Harden happened, and the 76ers tied things up at 2-2. If you’re looking for sharp NBA player prop bets for Game 5, target Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. Need more 76ers-Celtics player props? Check out Parlay Builder!
76ers-Celtics Game 5 NBA Player Prop | Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum O/U 28.5 Points
I have avoided getting action on Jayson Tatum all series, but with the direction this one is headed, Game 5 is the perfect spot to slam his overs. Tatum struggled in Games 3 and 4 — he averaged 25.5 points per game while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 23.5% from beyond the arc. He also struggled in Boston’s Game 2 blowout win. Tatum has eclipsed this total just once this series with his 39-point showing in Game 1. I’m cautiously optimistic about him getting close to that number in Game 5.
We’re honing in on Tatum because of his regular-season splits and the steadily increasing tempo of this series. Tatum averaged 31.7 points per game at home this year, 3.1 more than what he averaged on the road, while shooting 48.4% from the field and 35.8% from deep. Both head coaches have often emphasized playing at a faster pace in their post-game press conferences, and we saw these teams play at a series-fastest tempo in the first half of Game 4 before the 76ers tried to work the clock down the stretch late.
The sportsbooks have cut Tatum’s points prop down to 28.5 for Game 5 because of his scoring struggles in the last three games. I think he cashes the over in a Game 5 that could effectively decide this series with both teams tied at two wins apiece. Tatum was getting great looks in Game 4 but couldn’t convert in the first half, leading him to finish the frame with just two points. However, he managed to score 22 in the second half and overtime. Look for him to roll that momentum forward into the next one.
Best 76ers-Celtics Player Prop: Jayson Tatum Over 28.5 Points -110 for 1 Unit at BetMGM
76ers-Celtics Game 5 NBA Player Prop | Derrick White
Derrick White O/U 11.5 Points
Because Game 4 went into overtime, three of Boston’s rotation saw their minutes jump into the 40s: Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. Even 36-year-old Al Horford played 38 minutes. But Derrick White underperformed early and played only 31 minutes, which makes him one of the freshest of Boston’s rotation heading into Game 5. Although he isn’t the highest-usage player in Boston, it’s reasonable to expect him to see a bit of extra run in the wake of Sunday’s overtime thriller.
A few other factors make White stand out as a sharp play. For one, he is averaging 14.8 points per game in the playoffs and has beaten this number in seven of his three playoff starts. He also averaged 16.3 points per game against the 76ers in the regular season and beat this number in three of his four games against them. White also averaged 12.5 points per game at home in the regular season, 0.2 more than what he averaged on the road. White also saw more run on limited rest as well — he averaged 14.2 points per game when the Celtics were playing on the second leg of a back-to-back.
The market isn’t sure what to do with White heading into Game 5, but that creates an opportunity for sharp bettors to exploit. Most books, including Pinnacle, have the total for this prop set to 12.5, a fair number, with the juice slightly favoring the under. Oddly, FanDuel Sportsbook has the total set to 11.5 with near-even juice. Let’s hammer the over at that site — if you’re yet to sign up, you can even get $150 in bonus bets after placing a $5 wager!
Best 76ers-Celtics Player Prop: Derrick White Over 11.5 Points -118 for 1 Unit at FanDuel
