Two player props to target for Game 5 between the Sixers and Celtics

It’s Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals, and we have Sixers vs. Celtics predictions as we target the player props market.

This series is knotted up at two games after the 76ers held on for a 116-115 overtime win in Game 4. Boston clawed back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter and even took a five-point lead with roughly two minutes remaining.

However, the resilient 76ers hit key buckets down the stretch to force the game into overtime before emerging victorious.

The Celtics will likely feel they made critical errors late in the game that could’ve resulted in a different outcome. And now, as the series shifts back to Boston, I’d expect a more consistent performance in front of their home crowd.

From a player props perspective, this is a spot where you’d want to identify which Celtics can elevate their play and which 76ers are worth a fade.

Odds provided by BetMGM and current as of publish time. They are subject to change.

» READ MORE: Sixers vs. Celtics prediction: Bet on some James Harden regression in Game 5

Brogdon is the type of player you don’t have to worry about whether he’s playing at home or on the road. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is extremely consistent in his effort level on most nights on the court.

I’m not sure there’s a more trusted player on the Celtics. Brogdon remains a calming influence within the team, and sometimes his teammates have had to ask him to be even more aggressive.

After averaging 20 points per game as a starter in his final two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Brogdon is now coming off the bench with the Celtics but continues to play significant minutes.

He averaged 26 minutes during the regular season and is up to 27.6 minutes per game during the playoffs. We’ve also seen a slight uptick in his scoring from 14.9 points to 15.7 in the postseason.

More importantly, he’s doing an excellent job protecting the ball during these playoffs, as his turnovers dropped from 1.5 to 1.0.

That’s why Brogdon will continue to be on the court during the crucial moments.

During this series, he’s averaging 19.25 points per game while shooting a blistering 53.3% from beyond the arc. He’s also filled up the stat sheet by averaging 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Given his usage and how he’s shooting the ball from the perimeter, this prop seems well short of what we should expect from Brogdon in this spot.

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Maxey is the player on the 76ers I’d be most looking to fade. Since Joel Embiid’s return, we’ve seen his field-goal attempts drop by as many as 10 shots over the next three games.

There aren’t enough balls on the court to get him the same amount of touches.

The other factor that could affect Maxey’s scoring is the stellar play of James Harden. If you look at the two games the 76ers won in the series, Harden has been the one constant, scoring 40 or more points in Philadelphia’s victories.

And now, with Embiid back and scoring 30 or more points in his past two games, I don’t see a path for Maxey to get 19 points here on the road.

It doesn’t help that Maxey hasn’t shot well from the floor in this series. He shot 47.1% in the first round against the Nets — including 50% from behind the 3-point line.

But against the Celtics, he’s shooting 36.6% from the floor and 28.6% from beyond the arc. If he couldn’t find his shot at the Wells Fargo Center, he’ll likely face a stiffer challenge at TD Garden in front of a hostile crowd.

Given the 76ers’ floor spacing, there aren’t a lot of opportunities for Maxey to drive to the basket and pick up some cheap points at the free-throw line. He’s had only six free-throw attempts through the four games in this series.

When I looked at the box score, I was surprised that Maxey played 45 minutes in Game 4 and finished with just 14 points.

I think the Celtics can live with Harden and Embiid having a big game as long as they can contain the 76ers’ supporting cast. That would explain why Boston is sending fewer double teams and preferring to stay locked in on Maxey defensively.

Until Maxey proves he can start making more shots against this Boston defense, I’ll target the under with his scoring prop of 18.5 points.

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