As a part of the seven-game NBA slate, the Celtics will match up with the Pelicans. Jayson Tatum and company will travel down to New Orleans and will be looking to get fully back on track after going 6-4 in their last 10 games.
It has been a frustrating season for the Pelicans with injuries being the main storyline surrounding this team. Just about every notable contributor has missed time at some point this season with Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Jordan Hawkins and Daniel Theis each set to miss tonight’s matchup. Zion Williamson was also downgraded to questionable during the day due to an illness. New Orleans is 12-36 this season.
The bar of expectations is high for the Celtics as they look to replicate last year’s championship result. Boston sits in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 33-15 record and is rightfully mentioned as one of the league’s most dangerous teams. Tatum headlines the effort and is averaging 26.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season.
The Celtics enter this game as 11-point favorites and -550 on the moneyline. The Pelicans hold +410 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 232.5.
With the stage set, here are my favorite Tatum prop bets ahead of the Friday night matchup.
Best Jayson Tatum Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Tatum’s props are listed at over/under 26.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.5 made three-pointers and 40.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Jayson Tatum Over 8.5 Rebounds (-105)
For much of this season, Tatum’s rebounding prop line has been set at 9.5. He has had a milder output on the boards of late, averaging just 7.7 rebounds across his past 10 games, which has dropped the number and created some value. Tonight provides a great chance for Tatum to re-assert himself on the boards, and I think he does so by recording over 8.5 rebounds.
Tatum is averaging 9.0 rebounds per game and has recorded over 8.5 rebounds in 24 of the 45 games this season. This includes the 11 rebounds he logged in the first matchup against the Pelicans. Overall, New Orleans ranks 28th in opponent rebounds allowed and 24th in total rebounds per game.
Tatum leads the Celtics in rebounding and, even while his numbers have decreased, has not been held to under six rebounds since Jan. 7. In their last game, the Mavericks out-rebounded the Pelicans 51-36. P.J. Washington had 14 rebounds and Daniel Gafford had 12 boards. The game prior, the Raptors out-rebounded the Pelicans 54-46 with Jakob Poeltl tallying 14 rebounds and Scottie Barnes adding 11 boards.
Count on Tatum to get back to his high-level rebounding output and make a strong impact tonight. Look for him to record over 8.5 rebounds for the 25th time this season and the second time against the Pelicans.
Jayson Tatum Under 3.5 Made Three-Pointers (-140)
Tatum is shooting just 35 percent from beyond the three-point arc while launching a career-high 10.1 three-point attempts per game. His 35 percent rate is tied for his career-low shooting percentage.
Tatum has been held to under 3.5 made three-pointers in 22 of the 45 games this year. He shot just 2-for-10 from beyond the three-point arc in the first matchup with the Pelicans and is shooting just 30.7 percent on threes over the past 15 games.
Boston has leaned into its three-point attack at a higher rate than any team in history with this becoming the clear identity of its offense. While Tatum is still plenty capable as a shooter, three-point shooting is not at the top of the list for his best qualities. Especially with him struggling of late and having a vulnerable opponent, it should not be a surprise if Tatum makes more of a point to attack the basket and get himself back on track.
