The Boston Celtics are off to a successful start defending their championship title. Through their opening six games, they hold a record of 5-1 with their lone loss coming in overtime against the Indiana Pacers.
They will continue this defense in the first matchup on today’s NBA slate but will be forced to do so without Jaylen Brown. The reigning Finals MVP will miss this matchup due to a left hip flexor strain. This is not expected to be a long-term issue but will keep the three-time All-Star out of this game.
Boston will be forced to make up for the 25.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists that Brown has averaged thus far this year. While this will be a problem for the team, it does create some value in the prop bet market. With Brown’s injury in mind, here are two props for Jayson Tatum and Derrick White on DraftKings Sportsbook who will have more on their plate in the matchup with the Hornets.
These two teams faced off yesterday with the Celtics producing a 124-109 victory. Boston enters as 10.5-point favorites for the second night of the back-to-back and the moneyline is set at -520 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hornets are +390 underdogs on the moneyline with the game total set at 230.
Jayson Tatum Alt Points: 35+ Points (+185)
Tatum’s MVP case is beginning to be made this season. Through the opening six games, he has averaged 30.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. He has been in attack mode early and often which should only be expected to increase without Brown on the floor.
Tatum has scored 37 points in three of the six games thus far, with Brown being active in each. This is an especially strong start considering Tatum reached 35 points just nine times last year. He also had 32 points in yesterday’s matchup with the Hornets while Brown added 25 points of his own.
The Charlotte Hornets have struggled defensively to start the season. They have allowed 120.2 points per game which ranks 26th out of the 30 NBA teams thus far. This is especially concerning considering Boston leads all teams with 125.5 points per game so far this season.
Expect Boston to continue its level of offensive attack even without Brown in the lineup and for Tatum to be at the heart of things. The four-time All-NBA forward has a chip on his shoulder and these are the types of opportunities to shine that he will capitalize on. The Hornets do not have a player capable of matching Tatum’s level of size, physicality and skill. Count on Tatum to blow past his regular player prop of 30.5 points and take a shot at Tatum scoring 35+ points at +185 odds.
Derrick White 30+ Points, Rebounds & Assists (+140)
White has a knack for just finding a way to positively impact the game. It feels like every game the Colorado product puts his fingerprints on the game and improves the Celtics’ chances of winning. So far this season he is averaging 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
While the scoring void will be the most notable area of production the Celtics must make up for, expect White to pick up some slack in the rebounding and playmaking departments, too. He is capable of running the offense for stretches and can light up the scoresheet, getting hot as well. Looking at last season’s results, White’s averages went up 2.3 points last season in games that Brown did not play.
White’s regular over/under for combined points, rebounds and assists is set at 27.5 for this game. While White has only eclipsed this number once, he has tallied 27 combined stats in two other games and this was all with Brown in the lineup. Look for White to step up as Tatum’s primary co-star and for him to produce his best statistical output of the season thus far.
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