The Celtics enter tonight’s Game 5 in familiar territory: on the verge of eliminating their opponents. While the Magic have fought hard, they’ve only managed to take one game from the defending champs. That’s due in large part to the exceptional play of Jayson Tatum. Can Boston’s face of the franchise close things out at TD Garden?
The Celtics enter Tuesday as 11.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 198.5 points. Here’s the best Jayson Tatum prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Tuesday’s game tips off.
Jayson Tatum O 1.5 steals + blocks (-110)
It’s no secret that Tatum is one of the NBA’s most difficult matchups. This season, the six-time All-Star averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. Despite handling the league’s fifth-highest usage rate (31.1%), the forward had solid shooting splits as well (45/34/81).
A wrist injury kept Tatum out of action in Game 2, a nine-point Celtics win. Still, the 27-year-old has been phenomenal in this series. Through three games, he’s posted 30.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. In Game 4, he dropped 37 points and 14 boards en route to a 107-98 Boston victory.
Tatum’s scoring prowess is easy to see. It’s the superstar’s defense that often goes overlooked. However, the 6’8″ wing is more than capable of holding his own on the perimeter and in the paint. That’s especially true against a Magic team that struggles mightily on offense. Outside of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, no other Orlando player is averaging double-digit points this postseason.
In each of his last four meetings with the Magic, Tatum has recorded at least two steals + blocks. With Jalen Suggs (knee) injured, Orlando is also without its best ball handler. Should the Celtics race out to a big lead, a conservative Magic offense will need to push the pace. That could lead to some sloppy play from a desperate team down the stretch. If that occurs, Boston’s leading man is poised to make an impact on both ends of the court.
