Filip Tomic
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The series lead is on the line tonight in Cleveland as the Cavaliers host the Boston Celtics, fresh off their upset win in Game 2. Tip-off is at 8.30 pm ET on ABC, I’ve prepared a Same Game Parlay bet to make things a bit more interesting.
For predictions on the side and total for Game 3 of the Thunder vs Mavericks series simply visit our NBA Picks page.
Let’s dive into my SGP bet now!
Jayson Tatum to Score 30+ Points (+130)
Evan Mobley to Record 10+ Rebounds (-240)
Darius Garland to Record 6+ Assists (-105)
Same Game Parlay odds: +465
Jayson Tatum to Score 30+ Points (+130)
It is very unusual to see Jayson Tatum in 2nd place when you look at the Celtics’ points per game leaders this postseason. After 7 games played he’s averaging just 21.7 points on below average shooting splits of 40% from the field and 26% from deep. A breakout game is coming, tonight could be the night. He just had his 2nd highest point output with 25 in Game 2, he is yet to crack the 30 point mark this postseason run. The Cavaliers have defended him well during the regular season, but in games like these superstars separate themselves from regular players with big time performances. With his team feeling a bit of pressure after laying an egg in Game 2, I think Tatum steps up big time and delivers one of his vintage performances to bring back home court advantage to Boston.
Evan Mobley to Record 10+ Rebounds (-240)
Since Jarrett Allen has gone down with his rib injury, Evan Mobley has more than made up for it with his play on the defensive end. The 22-year old is finally living up to his potential, he’s grabbed double-digit rebounds in 4 of his last 5 games and after finishing the 1st Round averaging 9.1 per game he has upped that to 11.5 per game in two games vs the Celtics. With no indication of Allen returning any time soon, Mobley is by far the most important player when it comes to cleaning the glass for the Cavs. The two next best rebounders are backcourt players Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus who are averaging 5 rebounds per game. Cleveland’s defense will make life tough on the Boston shooters, just like they did so against Orlando in the 1st Round. I’m expecting at least 10 boards by Mobley in this game.
Darius Garland to Record 6+ Assists (-105)
Garland’s scoring has gone down a bit, but let’s not forget he is the point guard on this team and his main role is to distribute and find open looks for his teammates. That’s exactly what I expect from him in Game 3, he averaged 7 assists per game during the 3 regular season meetings with the Celtics. The role players were the key reason why Cleveland pulled off the upset in Game 2, they should be even more efficient playing in front of the home fans. The Cavs’ bench is one of the deeper ones in the NBA, with a couple of players on there capable of scoring 15-20 points on any given night. With the series lead on the line, Garland will have to show us why he signed that massive extension which will net him over $40m in the final 2 years of the deal.
