The Celtics are hosting the Nuggets on Wednesday night. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Boston is favored by 9.5 points and this game carries a total of 232.5 points.
Below, I’ll dive into three of my favorite player prop bets for Wednesday’s matchup between the Celtics and Nuggets.
Best Celtics vs. Nuggets Player Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Derrick White O 2.5 Steals + Blocks (-126)
White has exceeded 2.5 steals and blocks in six straight games, and there is no reason he shouldn’t be able hit this over again tonight. White is averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game this season, and his 2.9 stocks per game average ranks first among all non-big men. Additionally, White is leading the Celtics with 3.0 deflections and 7.7 contested shots per game.
The guard is, without question, one of the best defenders in the NBA, and White should produce plenty of stocks vs. this Nuggets team that is without Nikola Jokic (knee). With the big man out for the last four, Denver is giving up the fourth-most blocks per game (6.5).
Neemias Queta 1+ Points in the First Three Minutes (+120)
Queta is having a career season as the Celtics’ starting center, averaging 10.2 PPG on 66% shooting, and he has a knack for scoring right after tipoff. Queta is averaging 1.7 points per game in the first three minutes, and his 56 points in the first three minutes rank second only to Jaylen Brown for Boston. The big man’s 18% usage rate in the first three minutes is a notable increase from his 14.8% average for the season, and he has scored in the first three minutes of six of his last 10 starts.
The Nuggets have been starting the 6’9″ DaRon Holmes at center with Jokic sidelined, and Queta starting the game with a quick basket against the undersized Holmes feels likely.
Christian Braun U 9.5 Points (-107)
Braun is averaging 10.7 PPG this season, but tonight will be just his second game back after missing over a month of action with an ankle injury. In his first game back Sunday vs. the Nets, Braun only scored three points in 24 minutes and his usage was at a very low 9.1%.
Braun should continue to see well under his 29.2 minutes per game average tonight, and this is a tough matchup for him with the Celtics ranking dead last in pace this season. There is also a real risk of a blowout here, as Boston is favored by 9.5 points, and if the Celtics get a big lead, Braun will be one of the first players to be pulled out of the game by the Nuggets’ coaching staff, given that he just returned from a lengthy absence.
