The Celtics and Sixers change locations in the second round of the 2023 Eastern Conference Playoffs with the series tied at one game a piece.
While you can check out our full game preview here, this is going to target three player props in the pivotal Game 3. Joel Embiid returned to the lineup after missing two straight games with a sprained LCL, but wasn’t able to make the impact he had hoped for. Can he bounce back in Game 3 and clear his high point prop?
What about two role players on the Celtics in Al Horford and Derrick White, who have seen plenty of action, but haven’t had loaded box scores?
Here’s how I’m eyeing all three players prop bets in Game 3:
Best prop bets for Celtics vs. Sixers
- Joel Embiid UNDER 25.5 Points (-115)
- Al Horford UNDER 1.5 Three Pointers Made (+106)
- Derrick White UNDER 2.5 Assists (+136)
Joel Embiid UNDER 25.5 points
Embiid only played 26 minutes in Game 2 due in part to load managing his knee injury but also because the score became so lopsided. He had a modest offensive game, scoring only 15 points on nine field goal attempts, and I believe his impact on the floor is going to be felt more around the rim than on the offensive end.
The big man is lumbering up and down the court and looks far from 100% as he recovers from his knee injury. He is hurting the Sixers ability to push in transition and get into its offense early as he is taking extra time to get up and down the floor. I also believe that he is going to take less of a scoring load in the half court.
With limited mobility, Al Horford or Rob Williams will be able to stick to him and I believe Embiid is going to need to kick out to shooters on the perimeter to keep up with the Celtics offense.
This number implies that Embiid is relatively close to 100%, but I think he is far from that and his best impact is going to be as a defender and facilitator, not as a high usage scorer, given his state.
Al Horford UNDER 1.5 three pointers made
Horford has only hit one three in each of the past two games despite taking eight in Game 2. Maybe his usage as a floor spacer is more exaggerated to pull Embiid away from the paint, but I’m going to bank on his shooting to continue to be poor on the road in Game 3.
Despite shooting over 44% from three in the regular season, he is down to 29% in the postseason. At + money, I’m going to ride with what’s been working and that’s Horford not being a threat from distance.
Derrick White UNDER 2.5 assists
White is averaging about three assists per game this postseason, but he has a limited amount of chances, less than five per game.
As the games become more important and the Celtics need to value the basketball more, I imagine the ball will stick in shot creators Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and even Malcolm Brogdon off the bench more than White, who has operated as more of a catch-and-shoot threat for the Celtics.
If players convert the potential assists for White then so be it, but I’ll take the attractive odds on the under in hopes that White’s role stays the same and he isn’t setting the table for others.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.