Marcus Smart Over 10.5 Points
Marcus Smart has returned to the Celtics lineup after injury and has made an immediate impact. In his first three games back, Smart has scored 19, 10, and 15 points respectively. He is shooting a higher volume of field goals with at least 11 shots in the last three games since he has returned. Of those field goal shots, Smart has attempted at least three 3-pointers and as much as 7 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Cavaliers have a stingy defense and with Jarett Allen getting big minutes, he has a huge presence in the paint which will allow the Celtics and wing players much opportunity for shots throughout the game – this is where Smart thrives. In addition, Smart can take advantage of how much attention both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown command from the defense. He is an able scorer from deep or the mid-range and can even dribble into the paint for layup opportunities.
The 10.5 line seems fair for the numbers Smart has been scoring since return from injury, but we love the energy he brings to the court, and he can hit this 10.5 line with a combination of his three point making ability along with the mid-range. Let’s hammer this over line.
Jarrett Allen Over 10.5 Rebounds
Jarrett Allen has been logging big minutes as of late, logging at least 30 minutes in his last four games. He will be competing for boards with Al Horford, who he is much younger and athletic than. Horford has also only pulled down 2 and 4 rebounds in his last two games. The Celtics will also match up Robert Williams on Jarrett Allen, who is an able rebounder but hasn’t gone double digits from the boards in the Celtics last five games.
Allen is a double-double machine and the 10.5 rebound line seems light for the numbers Allen is able to pull down from the boards. He has grabbed 10+ rebounds in 7 of his last 10 games. The smart money is on Allen to go over in this contest vs. the Celtics, which could go down to the wire or even head into overtime as this is going to be a heated matchup amongst two strong Eastern Conference teams that could potentially see each other again in the playoffs.