The Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Heat kick off Tuesday night, so let's take a look at some of the best player prop bets for Game 1 in Miami.
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LATEST NBA BETTING TRENDS: Odds | Over/Unders | Expert picks
Jimmy Butler OVER 24.5 Points (-110) on FanDuel
Butler has been locked in, averaging 27.5 points per game on 51-percent shooting against Philly last round, including three games with more than 30 points. There's a big difference, though, between the Sixers defense and the Celtics, with Boston sitting third in the playoffs in defensive rating.
It's clear Miami knows it has to lean on Butler to carry the scoring load, which is something he seems more than happy to handle, making at least 25 points more than reasonable for the first game of the series.
Marcus Smart to Score 15-plus Points (+122) on FanDuel
Smart had 18, 15, and 21 points in Games 4-6, respectively, becoming Boston’s third scoring threat behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He shot 39.4 percent from deep, as well, making 2.2 triples per game, so there's a solid chance that banking on this trend to carry over into Game 1 can pay off. He obviously could fall back into being more of a defensive stopper, but given the price here to reach just 15 points, it's worth a play for a nice return.
Jaylen Brown OVER 1.5 Steals + Blocks (-105) on BetMGM
Brown went over this total twice last series, but in a matchup now that will put an emphasis on defense, this combo gives solid wiggle room for either steals or blocks. Brown had five total steals and four total blocks in the last series, and he can make life difficult for the Heat in Game 1 on the defensive end of the floor. There’s some solid cushion here on a lower number for this prop combo to hit.
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