Cross-Sport Super Bowl 53 Prop Bets: James White Receiving Yards vs. Celtics 1H Points, More

Part of what makes the Super Bowl so great is that you can bet on almost anything.

How long will it take Aretha Franklin to sing the national anthem? Check. Will SpongeBob SquarePants show up at halftime? Check. You can even bet on who will be the MVP of the Puppy Bowl.

For sports bettors, Super Bowl Sunday is better than Christmas morning. And if you're an NBA junkie, you can still get in on the fun with some cross-sports bets.

This piece will focus on two of the slate's three games:

• Memphis Grizzlies at New York Knicks: 1 p.m. ET
• Oklahoma City Thunder at Boston Celtics: 2 p.m. ET on ABC

If you're looking for more traditional prop bets, make sure to take advantage of the awesome FantasyLabs Player Prop tool. It leverages our projections against five of the most popular online sportsbooks and grades each prop on a scale of one to 10.

Our staff has also compiled their 53 favorite Super Bowl prop bets if you're looking for more action.

Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks combined first quarter points (-5.5) vs. Josh Reynolds receiving yards

The Pick: Grizzlies and Knicks points (-115)

No one will confuse the Grizzlies and Knicks for offensive dynamos, but I think this line is too low.

These teams have averaged a combined 50.6 first quarter points per game this season, and the Grizzlies should be able to exceed their usual average against the porous Knicks’ defense.

Reynolds is coming off a 77-yard performance in the NFC Championship Game, but will face a stiff test against the Patriots on Sunday. New England ranks fourth in Football Outsiders' DVOA against non-No. 1 and 2 receivers, plus Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty both earned top 14 cornerback grades from Pro Football Focus.

The Patriots will do a decent job against Reynolds while the Knicks and Grizzlies can combine for just enough points to make this bet a winner.

I wouldn't play it at much higher than -115, though.

James White receiving yards (+1.5) vs. Boston Celtics first half points

The Pick: White receiving yards (-115)

The Patriots are known for being unpredictable with their running backs, but White has been a constant for them all season. He racked up at least 53 receiving yards in eight of their 16 regular-season games and has stayed involved in the passing game during the postseason, totaling at least 49 receiving yards in both contests.

He also exploded for 110 receiving yards in their Super Bowl win two seasons ago, so he has the potential to blow this bet out of the water if he hits his ceiling.

Meanwhile, the Celtics have a difficult matchup against the Thunder, who rank first in the league in defensive efficiency. Boston has averaged only 54.6 points per game during the first half this season, which ranks just 19th.

I love this bet. White could shatter this prop and should manage to keep it competitive with an average performance. The fact that we’re also getting +1.5 yards is gravy.

I’d play it up to -135.