They did it! The Celtics didn’t get swept and are now heading home to try and keep their spirits alive. An infusion of offensive production from Jayson Tatum kept the Celtics dancing, and they will look to take game 5 from the Heat as well.
Can the Celtics become the first team in NBA history to pull out a series win after being down 3-0? We’ll soon find out.
First, they’ll have to win game 5. That’s what we’re focused on today, as we look at Underdog player props, scouring this game for our favorite plays. After going 3/5 in game 4, we look to bounce back for game 5, hungry for a full sweep.
Jayson Tatum OVER 47.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
In an elimination contest in game 4, Tatum delivered a big performance. He’s been spotty throughout this series, only hitting the over on this total in three of five matchups.
However, when it has counted, Tatum has delivered. In game 7 of their series with the 76ers, Tatum responded with a 51-point outing.
With that information in mind, we like Tatum’s chances of going over 46.5 PRA in this one. He needs to prove his place as an NBA superstar, and a big game 5 could go a long way in doing so.
Kevin Love UNDER 10.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
We took the under on this in game 4, and Love had 10 PRA. He continues to start for the Heat, only to be supplanted in minutes by the likes of Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry.
The only reason that he’s reached double-digit PRA at all in this series has been propelled by efficient shooting from the three-point line. We have no reason to start believing in him during this elimination game, which is why we’ve elected to take the under on his PRA.
Caleb Martin UNDER 4.5 Rebounds
Caleb Martin is a player that we certainly like taking unders on. He hasn’t achieved more than 4.5 rebounds in a contest since game 1 of this series, despite averaging over 30 minutes per game in the series.
Martin has been more of a scorer than a rebounder, scoring at least 16 points in each game. While we expect Martin to be a big part of this game, we believe that his rebounds will be few and far between.
Malcolm Brogdon UNDER 15.0 Points, Rebounds & Assists
Where has Malcom Brogdon disappeared to? After playing 37 and 26 minutes in the first two games of this series, Brogdon has only seen 17 and 18 over the last two games.
Because of his reduced usage, Brogdon’s PRA over the last two games have been 10 and 4. In a game that’s incredibly meaningful for the Celtics, look for Brogdon to take a backseat to teammates like Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Al Horford.
