All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
What you need to know for today’s playoff games
Jayson The Creator? Jayson Tatum is turning into a superstar before our eyes and it’s more than just his elite ability to score the basketball. Tatum has become a playmaker for Boston’s role players, tallying 32 assists in four home games this postseason and 19 dimes on the road. His 3-point prop is also worth looking at tonight. While Tatum has missed 13-of-16 3s over the past two games he has made 45.2% of his 3s at home this postseason compared to 32% on the road. Big-time players step up in big-time games and Tatum is in for a strong showing tonight.
Getting Wiggy With It: The Warriors have no interest in playing their big men. Even with Steven Adams nearly doubling his playoff minute total in Game 4, Golden State only played Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney for 20 minutes. Instead, they continue to trot out their wing players like Andrew Wiggins and Otto Porter Jr. That should continue tonight as the Warriors look to close out the series in Game 5. The versatile rotation has lots of positives. While the Warriors don’t appear to have a traditional rebounder on the court, Wiggins has averaged 9.0 boards in three of the past four games. Targeting his rebound prop is the best play tonight given his role as a pseudo-big man.
— Jim McCormick & Kyle Soppe
Breaking down today’s games
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics
7:00 p.m ET, TD Garden, Boston, MA
Line: Celtics (-5.5)
Money line: Celtics (-210), Bucks (+175)
Total: 214.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 219.7 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (82.3%)
Questionable: None (Knee)
Ruled Out: Khris Middleton (Knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Notable: The Celtics are 10-2 ATS over their past 12 games and there might be an angle to go under this total. Under tickets have cashed in 56.9% of games in which Boston is favored by more than three points.
Best bet: Giannis Antetokounmpo over 51.5 points + assists + rebounds. The Bucks have relied heavily on Antetokounmpo this series, especially Khris Middleton out. Game 4 was Antetokounmpo’s 14th career playoff game with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, tying Wilt Chamberlain for the fifth-most in NBA history. Antetokounmpo should be able to get his 15th tonight. — Eric Moody
Best bet: Brook Lopez over 17.5 points + assists + rebounds. Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday accounted for nearly 58% of the Bucks’ total shot attempts in Game 4 and at the end of the game, they looked worn out. The Bucks will need someone else to step up in Game 5 and Lopez is a likely candidate. — Moody
Best bet: Jrue Holiday over 1.5 steals. Holiday has averaged 2.3 SPG thus far in the series and the Bucks lead the NBA in defensive efficiency (99.4) during the playoffs. Holiday has averaged 1.7 SPG through the nine playoff games he has played this year. He should continue to have success on defense in Game 5. — Moody
Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies
9:30 p.m ET, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Line: Warriors (-4)
Money line: Warriors (-170), Grizzlies (+145)
Total: 218.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 222.1 points
BPI Win%: Warriors (51.7%)
Questionable: None
Ruled Out: Ja Morant, Gary Payton II (Elbow), Andre Iguodala (Neck)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Notable: The Grizzlies have covered three of four games as the underdog this postseason after closing the regular season 13-6-1 ATS over their past 20 games as the underdog.
Best bet: Warriors -4. This series is a wrap. The line moved from -2.5 to -4 after Ja Morant was ruled out for the rest of the playoffs and while Memphis was able to cover in Game 4, tonight will be a different situation. The Warriors had to adjust to how the Grizzlies play without Morant and Stephen Curry did not get going until the fourth quarter. I think free throws also played a role as the Warriors shot 91% from the charity stripe, compared to the Grizzlies’ 60%. Golden State is the better team offensively and defensively and they have the sharpshooters to cover this number and advance to the Western Conference Finals.— Erin Dolan
Best bet: Jordan Poole over 28.5 points + assists + rebounds. Poole’s work ethic during the regular season has paid off handsomely this postseason. The Warriors have the Grizzlies on the ropes heading into Game 5 and will look to deliver a knockout punch. Poole has averaged 23 PPG, 5.3 APG, and 5.3 RPG in the series thus far. — Moody
Best bet: Stephen Curry over 28.5 points. Curry tied James Harden for the 12th-most 30-point playoff games in NBA history on Monday night. and is one 30-point game shy of tying Dirk Nowitzki for 11th? I believe Curry has another 30-point performance in Game 5. He has a track record of performing well in elimination games, averaging 27.9 PPG. — Moody
