The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets continue their 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference first-round series, as Game 5 is set for Tuesday, June 1, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Nets have a chance to wrap up the series, and according to DraftKings Sportsbook, the hosts are massive 12-point favorites for Tuesday’s clash.
On the other side, the Celtics are +640 moneyline dogs with a total of 231.5 points. Boston upset the Nets in Game 3 at home, but in the other three contests of this playoff set, Brooklyn has dominated the Celtics on both sides of the ball.
The Celtics just cannot cope with the stacked Nets
The Boston Celtics won Game 3 as 7.5-point home dogs, 152-119, as Jayson Tatum dropped a 50 burger on Brooklyn. However, in the other three games of this series, the Celtics struggled mightily to cope with the Nets, especially with Brooklyn’s top-notch offense.
Tatum scored 40 in Game 4 last Sunday, and the Celtics suffered a heavy 141-126 defeat as 8.5-point home underdogs. They trailed by as many as 27 points, making just 43.5% of their field goals and 34.1% of their 3-pointers.
Kemba Walker missed Game 4 due to a knee injury, and he’s listed as questionable to play Tuesday. Robert Williams is doubtful with an ankle injury, while Jaylen Brown (wrist) is done for the season, so the Celtics are pretty shorthanded with their season on the line.
The Nets are cruising on the back of their big three
The Brooklyn Nets weren’t at their best in Game 3, handing out just 16 assists while playing some questionable defense. They bounced back in Game 4 and thrashed off the Celtics on the road, shooting 57.8% from the field and a ridiculous 59.3% from beyond the 3-point line (16-for-27).
Kevin Durant had a big game last Sunday, finishing with 42 points on 14-for-20 shooting from the field and 11-for-11 from the charity stripe. Kyrie Irving went off for 39 points, while James Harden posted a double-double of 23 points and 18 assists.
The Nets are without Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) and Jeff Green (foot), but they have just enough weapons to deal with the Celtics. With their big three healthy and ready to rumble, the Nets are top favorites to win it all this season with their odds at +200 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Trends:
Boston:
- 6-12 ATS in the last 18 games overall
- 1-6 ATS in the last seven games against Brooklyn
Brooklyn:
- 8-0 ATS in the last eight home tilts against Boston
- 8-1 ATS in the last nine games overall
Back in Game 3, I got burned on the Nets, but for the rest of the series, it’s been easy money on Brooklyn. I’m looking for another dominant performance by the Nets in Game 5, as they have too much offensive firepower for this Boston team.
Brooklyn has covered the spread in each of its last three showings as a double-digit fave. On the other side, the Celtics are 9-0 ATS in their last nine outings as double-digit dogs, but that happened just twice over the last two years. Boston failed to cover in eight straight road games against Brooklyn.
Pick: Take Brooklyn Nets -12.0 at -110
The Total:
The over is 3-1 in this series, and after a 104-93 Nets victory in the opener, we’ve seen three proper high-scoring affairs. I’ve mentioned a few times that Brooklyn’s offense should be too much for the Celtics once more Tuesday, so give me the over on the totals.
Boston has to try to slow down things, but I don’t see that happening against the Nets’ big three. Brooklyn should easily surpass a 120-point mark and win this clash comfortably.
Pick: Go over 231.5 points at -110