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Best NBA prop bets today for Celtics vs. Cavaliers (Derrick White primed for big game)

By Peter Dewey

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers will face off for the fourth time this season on Monday night, but there may be a lack of star power in this matchup.

Donovan Mitchell is questionable for Cleveland, and Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Robert Williams III have all been ruled out for Boston.

The Celtics lost in double overtime on Sunday, so how does that change our approach in the prop market?

Here are my three favorite plays for this matchup:

Celtics vs. Cavaliers best NBA prop bets

  • Derrick White OVER 15.5 Points
  • Isaac Okoro OVER 6.5 Points
  • Evan Mobley OVER 9.5 Rebounds

Derrick White OVER 15.5 Points

Derrick White has thrived in a starting role this season, averaging 12.5 points per game, but he took an even bigger leap with Jaylen Brown out of the lineup prior to the All-Star break with a facial fracture.

Over an 11-game stretch (all starts), White averaged 20.1 points per game for Boston, taking 14.7 shots per game. With Tatum out, someone is going to have to step up on offense on Monday.

White is as good a player as any to do so, especially since he played only 32 of the 58 minutes in last night’s game.

Isaac Okoro OVER 6.5 Points

This is a hedge on Mitchell getting ruled out, as Isaac Okoro is averaging 7.2 points per game in 11 games without Mitchell this season.

Over his last 13 games, Okoro has scored seven or more points eight different times, averaging 8.1 points per game over that stretch.

He’s not going to see a ton of volume, but Okoro has been efficient when called upon (48.8 percent from the field this season). I think he goes OVER tonight, especially if Mitchell sits.

Evan Mobley OVER 9.5 Rebounds

I mentioned earlier that Horford and Williams III are out, leaving Mike Muscala and Luke Kornet as the primary bigs in Boston’s rotation.

That should make for some easy work for Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but it’s Mobley’s rebound prop that I like in this game.

The second-year big man has double-digit boards in back-to-back games, and he’s grabbed at least nine boards in six of his last seven matchups.

This is about as easy of a matchup as you’ll get with Boston’s primary bigs sitting out.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.