Ricky Dimon
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The NBA playoffs officially begin on Saturday following the play-in festivities of the past four days. Saturday’s second Eastern Conference contest pits the Boston Celtics against the Brooklyn Nets. Let’s take a look at the best such option for Celtics-Nets, and be sure to also check out our full game preview for picks on the side and total.
Brooklyn Nets -8 (-110)
Joe Harris Over 2.5 three-pointers made (+128)
Kyrie Irving Over 3.5 assists (-154)
Jayson Tatum Over 30.5 points (-116)
Parlay odds: +1175
Part of the value in same game parlays, of course, is that all of its components can be correlated if you so choose. That is some of the plan here, as productive performance by Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris would obviously go a long way toward a Brooklyn win and cover. At the same time, plays that aren’t correlated drive up the overall payout of the parlay. That is the case with tipping Jayson Tatum to go on another scoring binge. But even if Tatum does that, there is no reason why the Nets can’t get the job done.
Brooklyn Nets -8 (-110)
Although the Nets failed to snag the No. 1 seed in the East, that can be attributed to the fact that Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden all missed chunks of time during the regular season. Brooklyn is the NBA title favorite for a reason. Durant, Irving, and Harden are all good to go for the playoffs and head coach Steve Nash’s team will be poised to make a statement right away that it means business now that 72 relatively meaningless games are out of the way. Boston is without Jaylen Brown for the entire playoffs, so the pressure is on Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker to step up. With the Celtics’ missing Brown, the Nets’ star power is far more substantial—and their supporting cast is better, too. Harris adds to their perimeter danger and both DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin give them presences down low. Brooklyn swept the regular-season series, twice winning by double-digits (the only exception coming when they won by five points while missing two of the Big 3).
Joe Harris Over 2.5 three-pointers made (+128)
Harris has logged at least 32 minutes in 12 of the last 13 games, so it’s not like his playing time is diminished even when the Big 3 are on the floor. He is going to have opportunities, and he should be able to capitalize on them this weekend. Harris has drained multiple triples in 12 of the last 14 outings, so it’s really not too much to ask of him getting to three. Boston is in the bottom half of the league in both opponents’ three-pointers made and opponents’ three-point shooting percentage.
Kyrie Irving Over 3.5 assists (-154)
Irving has dished out at least four assists in 13 of the last 15 games. Since the calendar turned to April, only once has Irving failed to reach the four-assist mark when he has played more than 30 minutes in a game. Now that we have arrived in the playoffs, you can be sure that the former No. 1 overall pick will be on the court for well more than 30 minutes. Boston is in the bottom half of the association in opponents’ assists per field goal made, too, so all signs point to the over on Irving’s dimes quota.
Jayson Tatum Over 30.5 points (-116)
You have to assume that Tatum is going to take matters into his own hands in the playoffs, especially given the fact that Brown is missing. Actually, you don’t even have to assume it; you know from the play-in game. In the No. 7 vs. No. 8 showdown against the Washington Wizards, Tatum delivered 50 points while leading his team to an official playoff berth. The former Duke standout also erupted for 60 points in Boston’s last game during the month of April. Scoring slightly more than 30 should be mostly routine for this guy.
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