The Boston Celtics came up short last night in the Battle for the East, with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 115-111 victory keeping them atop the Eastern Conference at 18-3. But, despite the setback last night, a 16-4 opening quarter of the season has to have Celtics fans feeling good about the team’s chances of becoming the first repeat champions since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors.
Tasked with trying to stop the Celtics from bouncing back are the Miami Heat, who have had an inconsistent start to the season and sit at 9-9 and sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. It wasn’t long ago that Boston dispatched Miami in five games in the first round of last season’s playoffs en route to its first title since 2008. Now, the teams will face for the first time in 2024-25.
Tatum is coming off three straight seasons in which he garnered an All-NBA First Team selection and finished in the top six in Most Valuable Player voting. He has seemed intent on proving that this is finally his year to bring home the Michael Jordan Trophy, and he’s made a strong case so far, averaging 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and a career-high 5.7 assists.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Celtics are 10-point favorites and the point total is set to 220. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite prop bet centered around Tatum.
Best Jayson Tatum Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jayson Tatum O38.5 Points + Rebounds (-105)
This game might be difficult to predict, with each team dealing with a spate of injuries. The Celtics’ second-leading scorer, small forward Jaylen Brown, and shooting guard Derrick White both missed Sunday’s loss to the Cavaliers and might not play Monday. If either of them do not play, expect more shots to fall Tatum’s way; he posted a 34.6% usage rate on Sunday, his highest in nearly a month. Tatum’s scoring output may go up even more if Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who is dealing with a knee injury, is unable to suit up.
The eight-year veteran didn’t have his most efficient performance in the loss to the Cavs, requiring 27 shots to score 33 points, but his high volume and a solid night on the boards allowed him to make a huge all-around impact regardless. I expect his efficiency to improve against Miami, who allow teams to attempt open shots — defined as such when the nearest defender is four to six feet away — at the third-highest rate. The Heat also give up the fifth-most rebounds of any team, conceding 46.2 per game.
As any matchup between two historic rivals who have faced off in three of the last five conference finals, Monday night is sure to bring playoff-like intensity. And with Tatum expected to garner lots of usage given the personnel uncertainty that both teams face, he is primed to take advantage.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
