Hawks vs. 76ers: The best player prop bets for Game 5

Many basketball fans had been wondering when the lateral meniscus tear suffered by Joel Embiid on May 31 would finally catch up to the Sixers’ big man. The answer, it turns out, was the second half of Game 4 on Monday night.

After averaging 35.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in the first three games of his team’s second round series, Embiid went 0-12 from the floor during the final two quarters of Game 4.

The four-time All-Star missed 3-pointers, he missed mid-range jump shots and, most improbably, he missed close range gimmes. His botched layup with 8.8 seconds remaining could have iced the game. Instead, Trae Young coolly hit a pair of free throws with 6.6 seconds left to even the series at two games apiece.

Embiid will have a chance to make amends against the Atlanta Hawks tonight, but it won’t be easy. His injury clearly compromised his lateral quickness on Monday, and seemed to rob him of his explosiveness as the game wore on. "JoJo" will need a lot of treatment (and more than a little support from his teammates) for the 76ers to come out on top.

We’ve examined tonight’s matchup closely and have selected the three best players props to wager on.

Seth Curry Over/Under 14.5 points

Embiid isn’t the only hobbled Sixer. Danny Green will also miss tonight’s game after straining his right calf against the Hawks on June 11. Green’s absence in Game 4 resulted in more looks for backcourt mate Seth Curry, and the 30-year-old sharpshooter cashed in with 17 points on 7-10 shooting from the floor.

It was just the latest strong postseason performance by Curry, who is averaging 16.7 points per game in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. He owes much of his success to the double – and occasionally triple – teams that Embiid faces on a nightly basis, but Curry also deserves credit for shooting the lights out. He’s connected on 56% of his shoots in the playoffs, including 46% of his 3-point attempts. Expect another barrage of threes tonight as he continues to stretch Atlanta’s D to its breaking point.

Pick: Over 14.5 points (+100)

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Shake Milton Over/Under 7.5 points

Shake Milton posted career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists during the 2020-21 regular season, but his breakthrough success hasn’t yet carried over into the playoffs. The third-year guard has been held to six points or less in seven of his nine postseason games, including a pair of goose eggs in Game 2 against the Washington Wizards and Game 1 against the Hawks. Milton is shooting just 35% from the floor, and his confidence appears to be eroding with every clunker he tosses up.

Milton is certainly capable of scoring in bunches, but it won’t happen tonight with his minutes trending downward and Philly’s championship hopes on the line.

Pick: Under 7.5 points (-113)

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Clint Capela to record a double-double

One of the big reasons the Hawks are firmly in this series is the strong play of Clint Capela. "Swiss Bank" is averaging 10.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game against the 76ers, and has already recorded five double-doubles in the playoffs after accomplishing the feat 48 times during the regular season.

Capela can always be counted upon to haul down his fair share of his boards, and tonight he should easily surpass 10 points as well as Embiid struggles to keep up with his athleticism and tenacity. It's one thing to try to contain a player like Capela with two good knees, but it's a virtually impossibility when you're nursing a serious ailment like Embiid. Expect a steady succession of rim runs and vicious alley-oops as Capela takes full advantage of his compromised opponent. 

Pick: Yes (-143)