On Friday night, the Boston Celtics will play host to the Brooklyn Nets for Game 3 of their first round playoff series at the TD Garden.

Let’s take a closer look at the top Nets vs. Celtics Game 3 player prop picks and make some predictions for this May 28, 2021 NBA Playoffs matchup.

Nets vs. Celtics Player Props (May 28, 2021)

The Boston Celtics will host the Brooklyn Nets at the TD Garden for Game 3 of their first round series with their season hanging in the balance. While an 0-3 hole allows a small opportunity for a miraculous comeback, the mere notion of winning four consecutive games –including two at the Barclays Center– against Brooklyn’s trio of superstars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden is beyond a long-shot.

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The Celtics fell behind early, entering halftime facing a 71-47 deficit. If there’s one positive for Boston to take away from Game 2 it’s the fact that they won the fourth quarter, though it came in a 130-108 blowout. Jayson Tatum suffered an eye injury in Game 2, which threw Brad Stevens’ game plan out the window. The four remaining starters all put up double-digit point totals each, but were no match for the heavily-favored Nets. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 26 points, while Joe Harris exploded for 25 points on 7-10 shooting from beyond the arc.


Can Boston take advantage of playing at home or will the Nets take a commanding 3-0 lead in this series?

 

Kyrie Irving to Score Over 23.5 Points (-152, FanDuel Sportsbook)

The NBA is a league that prides itself on the marketing and promotion of their star players. When one of their most recognizable talents moves from one top market to another, it pours plenty of fuel on the fire of revenge. Kyrie Irving’s return to the TD Garden on Friday night should have all eyes of the basketball world firmly focused on and off the court. After Irving’s remarks about the Boston crowd earlier this week, as well as fan incidents in New York and Philadelphia, one has to assume there will be tension in the air and increased security as the enigmatic point guard plays his first postseason game in Boston since leaving the Celtics.

After dropping 29 points on 11-20 shooting in 37:25 of game action in Game 1, Irving saw a cut in his minutes in a blowout victory, putting up 15 points in 27:54. It’s worth noting that prior to seeing his minutes drop below 30 per game at the end of the regular season, Irving put up at least 24 points in four of five contests from April 30-May 8. In three meetings against Boston this season, Irving averaged 30.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. In his lone game back at the TD Garden this season, Irving scored 37 points in 33:24 of action.

Kevin Durant and James Harding are expected to get their points, but don’t be surprised to see Irving put up the most shots for Brooklyn on Friday nigh on his way to a 24+ point performance.

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Marcus Smart to Score Over 13.5 Points (-135, BetMGM)

Marcus Smart had his most productive season in 2020-21, putting up career highs in points (13.1) and assists (5.7) per game. His numbers against the Nets this season have been quite encouraging as Smart averaged 17 points in three contests, including two starts. Jayson Tatum’s eye injury played a role in Boston’s blowout loss, but despite that, Smart was arguably more efficient in Game 2. Sure, the final scoresheet shows identical 6-13 shooting from the field, but it’s worth noting that he also added six assists, two steals, and three rebounds in nearly eight fewer minutes than in Game 1.

Keep in mind that while Smart only scored 13 points in his first meeting with the Nets this season, he put up 19 points in each of his next two regular season games and has averaged 18 points per game through two games in this series.

Given the potential for an expanded shooting role with Tatum’s injury status up in the air, give Smart a look to score over 13.5 points.

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Evan Fournier to Make Over 2.5 Three-Pointers (-180, DraftKings Sportsbook)

If you’re looking for a prop with decent upside based on a player that could go under the radar, consider taking Evan Fournier to make over 2.5 three-point field goals. After hitting 2-4 attempts in Game 1, Fournier connected on four of his five attempts from beyond the arc.

It’s worth noting that Fournier hit at least 3 three-pointers in his six of his final seven regular season games, including five straight to close out the season. Fournier has also had the opportunity to play against Brooklyn three times this season, but only once as a member of the Celtics. In his final matchup as a member of the Orlando Magic, Fournier torched the Nets on 6-8 shooting from beyond the arc.

With Jayson Tatum’s eye injury looming large ahead of this matchup, don’t be surprised to see Fournier put up 6+ attempts from downtown, converting on at least three.

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