Betting on Jayson Tatum, Max Strus and other player props ahead of Celtics-Heat Game 6

One of the most bizarre conference finals that we’ve seen in a while has a chance to conclude on Friday night. The Boston Celtics, up 3-2, are just one win away from advancing to their 22nd NBA Finals (17 wins). The Miami Heat will need a bounceback game to stave off elimination and play for the chance to make their seventh NBA Finals appearance (three wins).

The possible outcomes of Friday fall in the hands of the individuals who will be leaving it all out on the hardwood. We take a look at a few specific players and how their player props could dictate how the game unfolds.

All odds via Tipico Sportsbook.

(Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports)

It wasn’t all that long ago that Williams was under the knife getting his knee operated on. But he made it back in time for some first-round action and hasn’t looked like he’s missed a step.

Time Lord is playing particularly impactfully against this Miami Heat team. Whether it’s converting lobs on the offensive end or wiping away shots on the other, his presence has been somewhat game-changing. Miami has no one with size to keep him from dominating the interior, which is why he has pulled down nine boards in three of the four games he’s played against the Heat. He should be able to secure more than 7.5 in Game 6.

(Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports)

Yes. Take the under here. And this is not a slight on Jayson Tatum, either — he’s been the best player in the series. He’s had a few big scoring nights but nothing wild from three, which can be partly credited to the Miami defense.

To be fair, Tatum could absolutely heat up on Friday night from beyond the arc. But he’s only made more than three 3-pointers once this series and I would bet that Miami will do whatever they can to limit his offensive opportunities in an elimination game for them. I’ll take the under.

(Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

The Eastern Conference Finals have not been kind to Max Strus. Since Game 3, he hasn’t made a shot and has scored only four points (0-16 field goals). The good news for him is that it’s not like Victor Oldaipo, Duncan Robinson or anyone else in his position has done enough to take his minutes.

If he’s still the starter tonight, I would imagine the Heat draw some things up for him early to see if he can find his rhythm. He’ll see a few shots go in on Friday night and it’ll take him over 8.5 points. Will it make a difference in the outcome? Unlikely.

(Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports)

Shout out to Jaylen Brown for making the necessary adjustments on offense throughout the series. If you’ve followed Celtics-Heat, you know how frequently Brown was turning the ball over when attacking the rim. He constantly drove into traffic or too deep into the lane where he would get stripped by a reaching defender.

But he adjusted. In Game 5, specifically, Brown did a lot of catching and shooting — no dribbles, no turnovers, just launching threes off the pass. And it led to five made threes. But even before Game 5, Brown had attempted six or more threes in every game and made at least three in three of said games.

He’ll continue to put them up in Game 6 and I like his chances of making four or more.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).