The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics will begin their second-round series in the 2024 NBA Playoffs Tuesday with Game 1 at TD Garden in Boston. The Cavaliers enter this contest two days after taking out the Magic in a comeback win in Game 7, while the Celtics have been chilling after taking care of the Heat in five games. Boston will be without Kristaps Porzingis for this series but is still a huge favorite to advance.
Here’s a look at some of our favorite player prop bets to target for Game 1 Tuesday, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Donovan Mitchell over 27.5 points (-112)
I don’t expect the Cavaliers to suddenly solve their offensive woes, particularly in a road game. They were abysmal on the road in the Orlando series and that is unlikely to change. However, Mitchell has had success against the Celtics this year. He averaged 30 points per game against Boston in two meetings during the regular season and has gone over this mark in the last three games. He’s playing through some sort of pain but that hasn’t stopped him from carrying Cleveland offensively. I like Mitchell to keep his production going, although his efficiency here might not be too great.
Jayson Tatum over 9.5 rebounds (+120)
Tatum hit double-digit rebounds in four of the five games against Miami, including Game 5 when Porzingis did not play due to the calf strain he suffered in Game 4. The Celtics forward has really taken a big leap on the glass over the last few seasons and will have the opportunity to continue dominating there. The Cavaliers don’t have much on the interior beyond Evan Mobley, especially if Jarrett Allen remains sidelined. Tatum should be able to snag at least 10 boards in Game 1.
Darius Garland under 5.5 assists (-105)
After logging eight assists in Game 1 against the Magic, Garland averaged five assists per game the rest of the way. He went over this mark twice but generally stayed close to this line. A few more made shots could be the difference between this prop going over or under, but I think the Cavaliers continue to struggle offensively on the road. Garland woke up late in Game 7 to contribute offensively but Boston presents a much tougher matchup with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in the backcourt. I think Garland stays under this line.
Derrick White over 3.5 3-pointers (+130)
White exploded in the final two games against the Heat, hitting 13 triples on 25 attempts in a great shooting display. The Cavaliers have been good at defending the perimeter this season but they did allow the Magic to run all over them in Games 3 and 4. White went over this line just once in three regular-season meetings against Cleveland but I like his current form enough to take him getting over this line Tuesday.