Two playoff series that are tied 2–2 have potentially pivotal Game 5s taking place Tuesday night.
The 76ers are back at TD Garden to battle the Celtics after they eked out an overtime win in Game 4. And out West, the Nuggets return to the Mile High City after they dropped both road games to the Suns.
Below are a few key betting trends and a pick involving each team in this postseason doubleheader. Philadelphia-Boston begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and Phoenix-Denver is next at 10.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Game 5 Predictions
James Harden Racks Up Boards, Dimes: Bet Harden Over 14.5 Rebounds + Assists
Harden has two 40-point showings against the Celtics and two games with fewer than 20. What has been somewhat more consistent so far in the series are his other primary counting stats: points and rebounds. Harden, who has double-doubled twice against Boston and four times across eight playoff games, averages 5.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game in the postseason and 6.3 boards and 7.5 dimes for the series. His combined points and rebounds prop for Game 5 is set at 14.5, a total he’s eclipsed in each of his last two games (he had exactly 14 rebounds and assists in Game 2).
Celtics Score with Ease: Bet Boston Over 110.5 Points
The Celtics remain the highest-scoring team in the playoffs with a lofty average of 119.2 points per game, more than two full points higher than the next closest team that’s still alive (Suns: 117.1). This series with the 76ers has seen some lower point totals than their first-round matchup with the Hawks, but the fewest points Boston has scored all postseason has been 112. The over has hit in seven of the last eight games for the C’s and though they average more points on the road (121.6) than at TD Garden (116.8), they’ve had no issue putting up points in bunches throughout the playoffs.