Knicks vs Celtics Predictions: 2 Player Props and Best Bet for Game 5

Tatum is down and Mazzulla needs the others to step up in order to prolong this series. After the devastating fourth quarter Achilles injury, Jrue Holiday, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Jaylen Brown will need to up their scoring numbers in order to extend this series back to New York.

Look for veteran guard Jrue Holiday to be the key difference maker, while a certain trend says to bet on Mikal Bridges to knock down a few three-pointers.

Best Bet: Celtics -4.5

After Tatum’s Achilles injury at the end of Game 4 sucked the air out of the Boston Celtics, the reigning champs will have to enter Game 5 at home with a game plan to limit Brunson while getting their secondary scorers involved to make up for the absence of their best player.

Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday are no strangers to these big moments. With Mazzulla and the C’s 15-3 without Tatum in the regular season over the last two years, this is no time to panic if you are a Boston fan and a bettor for this game.

While it is difficult to see Boston winning three games in a row to take this series, they should be able to get one without JT and send this series back to New York where the pressure will be on.

Jrue Holiday (BOS) OVER 9.5 Rebounds & Assists

With Tatum’s near 17 rebounds & assists per game up for grabs, Jrue Holiday should be a key contributor on both ends of the floor. The two-time champion has gone quiet over the last two games, but I’m expecting Holiday to be the playmaker and momentum swinger on both sides of the basketball.

In 6 games without JT this season, Holiday hit this mark 4 times. Yes, it has been a quiet postseason for the slightly banged up Jrue, but in a must-win game he should be able to make a massive difference for this Boston squad at home.

Mikal Bridges (NYK) OVER 1.5 3PM

The star two-way player hasn’t hit this mark in each of his last two games, shooting just 1 of 8 from beyond the arc. Expect Mikal to bounce back at TD Garden tonight, especially with Thibs playing him around 40-45 minutes and transition 3s bound to come with Boston’s missed three-pointers.

Bridges has hit this prop in four of five playoff games away from home, while going five of six on this prop in Game 5s throughout his career.