The Celtics finally figured out Miami’s defense late in Game 4 to avoid the sweep and extend their series. They’ll look to build on that momentum and push the series to Game 6 later tonight, May 25. Jayson Tatum has scored over 30 points in all but one contest in this series, but he didn’t have a single fourth quarter to write home about until Game 4. With the fourth-quarter monkey now off his back, things can get a lot more interesting.
With another win-or-go-home contest tipping off today, we put together some of the best NBA player prop bets on the top online sportsbooks. Claim one of the generous bonus offers to get in on the action with very little of your own money.
Best NBA Player Prop Bets for Celtics vs. Heat Game 5
All eyes will be on Tatum and Jimmy Butler tonight. With so much on the line, it’s usually those two who come through in the big moments. Both have had explosive performances in similar situations and will need to do so tonight to come out victorious.
Jimmy Butler to Score Over 30 points (+115 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
If anyone doubted the moniker of “Playoff Jimmy,” that doubt has surely resided with the performance of the Heat’s star to this point of the playoffs. The last time Miami was in a position to close out a team favored to beat them was in the opening round against the Milwaukee Bucks.
After Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return from injury to the court in Game 4, most were sure the tides would turn. What happened instead was the Butler Show as he proceeded to produce 56- and 42-point performances to help seal the deal for the Heat. In Game 4 against the Celtics, he scored 29 points on 9-of-21 shooting. Although not his best performance, he still nearly topped the 30-point mark.
With Butler now much more likely to be dialed in, you can expect a better performance from start to finish.
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Jayson Tatum to Score Under 30.5 Points (-108 on Caesars Sportsbook)
Tatum only scored less than 30 points in one contest in this series, and that was the blowout loss in Game 3. So far, it appears Miami has been content with him scoring, as long as the rest of the Celtics don’t do the same thing. In Game 4, that fear broke through as Tatum caught fire and passed the hot hand along to his teammates.
Tatum has proven he can nearly single-handedly beat teams when needed, and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra has shown he can game plan with the best of them in this situation. The Heat have the second-best defensive rating in the playoffs so far and are likely to adjust to keep from extending the series to a Game 6. Look for Tatum to finally see an increase in traps and defensive looks to get the ball out of his hands.
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Gabe Vincent to Score Over 15 Points (+200 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Gabe Vincent has been huge for the Heat this postseason. He has big scoring capabilities, which showed in Game 3 when he led all scorers with 29 points. Vincent scored at least 15 points in all but one game this series. He shot the ball the most he has against Boston in the last two contests, and the Heat need his shot attempts to stay elevated more than ever given the circumstances.
He has been streaky from deep in this series, tying his worst performance from beyond the arc in Game 4 with a 1-for-4 outing, and he still compiled 17 points in the contest. He also has 6 for 9 and 3 for 5 three-point shooting performances in this series. Regardless of whether his three-pointer is going or not, he is still finding ways to get on the board. Add in the possibility of a big night from deep, and his odds of covering this wager grow even more.
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Grant Williams to Score Over 6.5 Points (-140 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
Grant Williams’ biggest headline of the series was taunting Butler, which got him going and helped the Heat steal Game 2. However, he has quietly had a good series, including a 14-point performance to help Boston win Game 4. He also scored 12 points in the previous game. His minutes are rising thanks to his defense, and he is taking advantage on the other end of the court.
He is shooting seven times a night in his last two games and connecting on 66% of his three-point attempts. He may see even more attempts if the Heat look to force the ball out of Tatum’s hands in the contest, which would boost his odds of covering this wager.
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Article contributed by David Fletcher.
