Sunday’s game 7 between the Celtics and the 76ers should be one for the ages. Both teams are hungry to head to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Celtics are especially excited to try and get revenge on their NBA Finals loss last season. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some player props from that game, which are powered by PrizePicks.
James Harden OVER 20.5 Points
James Harden has only eclipsed 21 points in one of his last five games. However, he did have a 42-point game during that span but hasn’t looked like himself since. This recent lack of production could cause some trepidation, but we’re confident that Harden will shine on Sunday.
This is an elimination game for both teams, as the winner moves to the Eastern Conference Finals. As long as Harden can have a decent shooting percentage from the three-point line, we’re confident in his ability to hit over 20.5 points.
Marcus Smart OVER 14.5 Points
Smart took flight during game 6, putting up 22 points, and dominated during the first half. He helped overcome Jayson Tatum’s early shortcomings and has continued to establish himself as an elite option for the Celtics to turn to. Plus, he has scored at least 14 points in his last five games, making the over an easy choice for us in this game.
Joel Embiid UNDER 30.5 Points
Joel Embiid should have gone over 30 points during game 6, but he was nowhere to be found in the final minutes of that game. He is only averaging 27.6 points in the last 5 games and only eclipsed 30.5 in 2 of those performances. While we like the 76ers’ chances to remain competitive in this one, we believe that Embiid will stay quiet, going under his point total.
Jaylen Brown OVER 33.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
This is probably our riskiest play for this game. Brown and Tatum tend to trade off massive performances, but we’re expecting Brown to be the one to shine. He has averaged 31.4 PRA over the last 5 contests, mainly on the heels of low assist numbers.
We’re expecting the Celtics to do anything possible to win this game, which means passing off the ball to the hot hand. If either Brown or someone else on the team gets hot, he should have plenty of opportunity to eclipse his PRA total.
P.J. Tucket OVER 9.5 Points, Rebounds, and Assists
Honestly, why not take P.J. Tucker in Sunday’s game? He’s averaged 10.6 PRA in his last 5 games, which has come on the heels of playing at least 20 minutes per game.
Tucker has continued to be a solid role player for the 76ers, something that should continue during game 7. We really like his chances to play at least 20 minutes again on Sunday, making 9.5 PRA an easy task to overcome.
