WinView Games is running a $500 GPP Contest tonight for the 1st quarter of the 76ers vs Celtics game.  Buy-in is just $5 and first place wins $100.  Right now we are running a Deposit $20 get $20 promotion when you download the app through www.fantasyalarm.com/wvgames so join the Fantasy Alarm Team and the rest of FANation and win some cash tonight!

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics  -1.5 Total: 204.5

With Game 5 tipping-off tonight at 8:00 PM ET, the 76ers will look to fend off elimination for the second straight game as they travel to Boston where they lost the first two games of this series. The 76ers have played better the past few games, but still are just one game away from being knocked out. The 76ers simply need more consistent play out of players not named Joel Embiid to have a chance.

 

Game Play Predictions

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Philly has yet to eclipse 103 points this series. They averaged 109.8 points per game during the regular season.

  • The 76ers rank 13-of-16 playoff teams in three-point percentage at 33.5.

  • Philly ranks 1st amongst all postseason participants in rebounds per game at 49.7.

  • Philly has turned the ball over the fifth highest amount of times this postseason. Boston has turned it over the fourth fewest on a per game basis.

  • Joel Embiid leads Philly with a 29.7-percent USG rate this postseason. 11th highest mark amongst all postseason qualified players.

  • T.J. McConnell has scored more than 10 points and played more than 20 minutes just once this postseason. It was in Game 4.

  • 76ers are playing at the fifth highest pace this postseason. They were number two during the regular season.

Players to Watch

  • Joel Embiid - In seven meetings this season, Joel Embiid has eaten up the Celtics. He’s averaged 20 points, 14.1 rebounds and four assists per contest. He’s played 35 minutes or more and taken at least 15 shots in each game this series. That said, Embiid has shot 40-percent or below in three consecutive games and has to find his stroke for Philly to have a shot.

  • T.J. McConnell - McConnell started his first postseason game in Game 4 and shined, scoring 19 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists. Something interesting to note, McConnell touched the ball 81 times in Game 4 which only trailed Ben Simmons’ 88.

  • Ben Simmons - Simmons wasn’t impacted by McConnell being on the floor at all as he led the 76ers in USG at 30.7-percent in Game 4. Simmons shot 53-percent from the floor on the year but in eight games against the Celtics he’s down to 46.7.

  • Dario Saric - The 76ers were led by Dario Saric in points scored in Game 4 with 25. Saric led in shot attempts as well with 17, the first time this series he’s gone for more than 13 attempts. They need this guy again in Game 5.

 

Boston Celtics

  • Boston is averaging 103.2 points per game this postseason which ranks 10th out of 16 teams.

  • The Celtics have been careful with the ball during their playoff run only turning it over 12.5 times per game which is the fourth fewest amongst all playoff teams.

  • Jayson Tatum has scored 20 or more points every game this series.

  • Al Horford has 10-plus rebounds in two of his last three games.

  • Boston is playing at the fourth slowest pace this postseason at 94.99.

  • Second chance points have been a strength of Boston’s this postseason ranking fourth with 13.5 per game.

Players to Watch

  • Jayson Tatum - Tatum has scored 20 or more points in every game this series and has accomplished this feat six games in a row. Tatum is averaging more points per game than guys like Kyle Lowry, Kevin Love, Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns. All whom were All-Stars.

  • Terry Rozier - The addition of T.J. McConnell to the 76ers starting lineup made Rozier look extremely uncomfortable offensively as he shot just 36.4-percent from the floor. Before that game Rozier had been rollin’ shooting 46-percent or better in three of his last four games.

  • Al Horford - For eight straight games, Horford has scored at least 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out two assists or more. He has five multi-block games over his last eight postseason games as well. Horford is doing it all and has shot 50-percent or better in 8-of-10 playoff games.

  • Marcus Smart - Smart has done a little bit of everything and has lived up to his name as a defensive stopper. He has two steals in three straight playoff games. He is, however, struggling from three shooting 8-of-27 in this series alone.

 

Pre-Game Props

Q1: The last made shot of the 1st quarter is a 2 pointer

If Boston has the ball to end the first quarter, there’s a really good chance they hoist one from deep. 37.5-percent of Boston’s shots this postseason have come from beyond the arc, which is the third highest mark in the league. Philadelphia is not far behind them in sixth at 33.9-percent. I think I lean towards the last made shot of the quarter being a three.

Q2: T. Rozier (BOS) and J. Brown (BOS) combine for 10 or more points in the 1st Quarter

Rozier and Brown are averaging nearly five points per quarter this postseason. Brown has only scored more than 15 points once this series and Rozier has accomplished that feat three times. I’m actually a little worried for Rozier with T.J. McConnell now with him every time he goes to bathroom. I think they squeak out 10, but wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if they were under.

Q3: Both teams combine for 55 or more points in the 1st quarter

43, 39, 53, 47. Those are the totals for each first quarter this series. The two teams pace is not allowing that amount of points to be scored. No way Jose do these two get 55 combined.

Q4: Either team makes their first 2 shot attempts of the game

Philadelphia ranks 14-of-16 in field goal percentage this postseason while Boston ranks 12th, so neither team is exactly stroking it this postseason. It also shows you how good both teams are defensively. Boston ranked 1st (101.5) in defensive efficiency this year and Philly ranked 3rd (102.2).

Q5: PHI wins the opening tip-off

Philadelphia has won three tip offs to Boston’s one. Boston’s one did, however, come in Game 4. Maybe tired legs for Joel Embiid? Still taking Philly here.

Q6: Either team attempts a 3 pointer by the 11:00 mark

I’ve already mentioned in an earlier prop question about the propensity these two are hoisting three’s at. By the 11:00 minute mark is tough, however, because that would likely be within both team’s first possession. THAT SAID, Boston has taken two three-pointers in their first two possessions in back-to-back games, so I’m going to go with the trend, not buck it, and say YES, one of these two team’s attempts a trey-bomb.