Best NBA Prop Bets Today (Predictions for Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum in 76ers vs. Celtics)

All eyes in the NBA shift to Boston, Mass. on Saturday night, as the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics play Game 7 of their first-round series.

There really isn’t anything better than a winner-take-all game, and it’s only right that I place a few player props for this matchup.

The Sixers have turned things around since Game 5, winning back-to-back games by double digits while holding Boston to under 30 percent from beyond the arc. The C’s have become extremely reliant on Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard for offense with Derrick White slump, and it’s worth noting that Tatum (who is expected to play in Game 7) left Game 6 early with a calf issue.

I’m eyeing a few players in the prop market on Saturday, including a pick for former league MVP Joel Embiid, who has been the driving force behind Philly’s turnaround after it fell behind 3-1 in this series.

Best NBA Prop Bets for Saturday, May 2

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Joel Embiid OVER 4.5 Assists (-133)

Embiid has only played in three games in this series, but his offensive impact cannot be understated.

The Sixers star has scored 26, 33 and 19 points while dishing out six, eight and eight assists. The total in this game (206.5) suggests that we’ll see a lower-scoring affair, but Embiid had eight dimes on Thursday in Game 6 when these squads combined for just 199 points.

So, I think taking him to finish with five or more dimes is a steal in Game 7.

Boston doesn’t have a singular player that can guard Embiid, which means the C’s may need to send double teams if they’re going to slow him down in Game 7. The former MVP has shown he’s a willing passer, averaging over seven dimes per game while posting 10.0 potential assists per game in the playoffs.

During the regular season, Embiid averaged just 3.9 assists per game, but the Sixers seem to have lifted any minutes restrictions for the star center. I’ll buy him as an offensive hub for Philly on Saturday night.

Jayson Tatum OVER 10.5 Rebounds (-118)

So far in this series, Jayson Tatum has been Boston’s best rebounder, averaging 10.7 boards per game. He’s picked up at least 11 rebounds in four of the six games, including a 16-rebound showing in the last home game for Boston (Game 5).

Now, Tatum did have a calf issue in Game 6, but he still played 28:48 before exiting and pulled down 11 boards. So, I don’t mind taking a shot on him in a win-or-go home matchup on Saturday night.

The All-NBA forward is now averaging 15.2 rebound chances per game in the playoffs, and he’s put up 10.5, 9.7, 11.5 and 10.7 rebounds per game over his last four playoff runs. Boston has needed the star forward on the glass with Neemias Queta struggling with fouls in this series, and Boston simply doesn’t have many elite frontcourt options to throw at Embiid.

Since Tatum should play major minutes in Game 7, I think he’s a solid value with this prop still hanging at 10.5.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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