Here are Three Prop Bets to Consider Ahead of Thursday's Celtics-Nets Clash

Boston will take on the Nets on Thursday night
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics are looking for their fifth straight win Thursday night.

Boston will hit the road to take on the rival Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Thursday's tilt is the second night of a back-to-back for Boston who took down the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night at TD Garden, 125-114. 

Jaylen Brown was the star of the show for Boston against the Pelicans as he poured in a season-high 41 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Jayson Tatum also shined for the Celtics scoring 31 points and hauling down 10 rebounds. 

Brooklyn enters the showdown winners of each of its last two games but will be without the services of star forward Kevin Durant who is dealing with a knee injury. The Nets will have former Celtic Kyrie Irving in the lineup though and he has been on a tear of late so Boston will have plenty to worry about. 

Here are three interesting prop bets from Sports Illustrated Sportsbook to consider ahead of Thursday's Celtics-Nets matchup: 

Kyrie Irving Under 29.5 Points Scored (-133)
The Nets point guard has been impressive since returning to the lineup but has failed to top 29 points in each of his last six games. Irving will face a stingy Boston defense on Thursday night and even if they are without the services of Marcus Smart, will have to deal with Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon. 

If you were to place a $133 wager down on Irving to score fewer than 30 points and he does so, the payout would be $100. 

Boston Celtics -2.5 (-118)
The Celtics may be on the second night of a back-to-back, but Thursday's showdown will be test nonetheless. Boston and Brooklyn are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference so one could foresee Thursday's matchup as being a preview for the postseason. 

Boston has been the best team in the NBA so far this season and although the Nets have been hot, the Celtics should be able to come away with a victory, especially with Durant unable to play. 

Halftime/Full-Time: Brooklyn Nets/Boston Celtics (+600)
While the Celtics have been the best team in the NBA and are favorited to win Thursday's tilt, a slow start wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility after dueling the Pelicans on Wednesday night. 

A slow start for Boston wouldn't be too surprising against the Nets, but when it's all said and done and the final buzzer wins the Celtics definitely could come out on top. If you were to place a $100 wager down on the Nets to lead at halftime and the Celtics to ultimately win the game and it hits, the payout would be $600. 

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pelicans: Jaylen Brown's 41-Point Performance Propels Boston Past New Orleans

This Wild Stat Shows How Big of an Impact Robert Williams Has Had For Celtics

Knicks Reportedly Interested In Trading Wing, Should Celtics Consider Deal?

Robert Williams' Presence Already Being Felt, Making Difference in Major Way For Celtics

Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Win vs. Bulls: Boston Clamps Down Defensively to Overcome Cold Shooting

The Top 5 Plays from Monday's Celtics-Bulls Game


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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

  Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on basketball and football. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University.