The Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics are currently tied at 2-2 in their Eastern Conference semifinals. Tonight the series shifts back to Boston for a crucial Game 5. Whoever come out on top in this one will have their opponents on the ropes and on the brink of elimination. That could be particularly dangerous for the Celtics, with Game 6 due to be played in Philadelphia.
Take a look at all of our'NBA playoff predictions. But for now we'll jump right into my 76ers vs Celtics SGP.
Reigning MVP Joel Embiid has been a force offensively over the last 2 games of the series. He has managed totals of 30 and 34 points respectively and is likely to reach a similar total here. His size advantage over any of the Celtics frontline players should allow him to continue getting to the line. He has attempted at least 12 in 2 straight games and has shot at a 85.7% mark from the stripe against the Celtics. He is also making 62.5% of his shots within 5 feet of the rim. Embiid’s lenght advantage also allows him to effectively attack from the mid-range too, easily shooting over his matchup. The 76ers center should be free to utilize his size advantage once more and dominate the paint here. Look for that to convert to a high scoring night.
De'Anthony Melton has played a key role for the 76ers off the bench so far in these playoffs. He is making 46.2% of his 3-point attempts this postseason. That level of efficiency has earned him more time on the floor. He has been able to use that to score 8 or more points in 5 of his last 7 games. With Embiid drawing attention on the inside, it should help create space for Melton on the perimeter. He has made multiple 3-point shots in 6 of 8 postseason games and the same thing here would set him up perfectly to hit the over on this line. Coming off a poor performance in Game 4, the Celtics are likely to afford him more space. I expect Melton to punish them for it.' This line should be a good addition to the same game parlay.