The NBA tips off early on Sunday as the Nuggets vs. Celtics begins an exciting slate at 1 p.m. ET. There are nine games on Sunday, March 2 with Boston vs. Denver perhaps being the best matchup of the day.
The two teams are primed for an NBA Finals run, with Boston winning the 2024 title and Denver winning in 2023. Nikola Jokic looks as good as ever, averaging a triple double, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown headline a stacked Celtics roster.
It will be the second time these teams face off this year with Boston winning the first round 118-106 in January. This game will be in Boston as the Nuggets look to even the season series.
The Celtics are three-point favorites at home against the Nuggets, and the game total is set at 235 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Below, I have featured my favorite Celtics vs. Nuggets prop bets to consider from this contest.
Best Celtics vs. Nuggets Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Nikola Jokic over 1.5 three-pointers made (+130)
Any time Jokic plays basketball, it’s worth looking at his made three-pointers line. Sometimes the over 1.5 line doesn’t have favorable odds, but that’s not this game.
Jokic’s over 1.5 made three-pointers line is set at +130 odds, which should make bettors rejoice. The three-time MVP has hit this line in 32 of 54 games and is shooting 44 percent from distance.
Although his volume doesn’t match that of the top three-point shooters in the NBA, he has one of the best three-point shooting percentages in the NBA. It’s slowly decreased from his early-season rates, but it’s still far and away his best long-range shooting season of his career.
Jokic has, however, been struggling to hit this line in his past six games. He’s hit the mark in just one game, when he shot 6-of-14 from distance. The other five games, he’s combined to shoot 1-for-10 from beyond the arc. The recent stretch isn’t promising, but the value for this is far too good at +130.
Jokic didn’t play in the Celtics vs. Nuggets first matchup, so there isn’t a blueprint to follow. That said, the Celtics typically have good paint protection, even if Kristaps Porzingis is sidelined. This could lead to more perimeter-oriented possessions from the Nuggets’ big.
Jayson Tatum to record 9+ rebounds (+110)
Tatum is coming off a 46-point performance against the Cavaliers, so it may be tempting to bet on another solid scoring performance. Instead, Tatum’s rebounding props are the play.
If the Celtics do push Jokic out to the perimeter, it will force the Celtics’ bigs out of the paint, giving Tatum more chances to grab rebounds. Tatum is already a great rebounder, averaging 8.8 per game and has a season-high of 16, which came in his recent 46-point game.
Tatum has grabbed at least nine rebounds in 28 of 57 and has 22 games of double-digit rebounds. This alternate line gives bettors some more juice, but they can also opt for the safer over 7.5 line. This line is valued at -140, and Tatum has hit the over in 37 of 57 games.
Both options are worth considering, though the 9+ rebounds line is my personal choice. Parlaying these two bets together will give +355 odds.