The NBA Playoffs are (basically) here! There are only two games today, which means limited props. Yet, this is still the most exciting time of year. This is where the money is made. Remember to shop around for the best odds for these bets to get the best EV over the long term.
Here are my favorite plays from each game.
Last Time: 3-3
Season: 27-30 (+1.9% ROI)
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Friday’s Best Player Prop Bets
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat
- Jimmy Butler Under 32.5 Pts + Ast (-105 via BetMGM)
- Zach LaVine Uner 26.5 points (-102 via FanDuel)
- Under 209 points (-109 via BetRivers)
Generally speaking, I expect there to be few points in this game. I gave three single-props, but you can also combine them for an SGP if you find the right numbers in the same books. These are two top-10 defenses and two bottom-10 pace-of-play teams. This game screams under.
When it comes to the playoffs, NBA teams actually play defense. It's win-or-go-home, so you'd expect the stars to show up. But that also means their props are over-inflated. I am fading points here and fading Jimmy Butler and Zach LaVine, especially at their current numbers.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves
- Mike Conley Under 15.5 Points (+108 Caesers)
- Kyle Anderson Under 6.5 assists (+100 BetRivers)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 43.5 Pts + Ast + Reb (-115 DraftKings)
After an interesting week for the T-Wolves, Rudy Gobert (back spasms) and Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) are still questionable to play tonight. If they can go or not obviously gives Minnesota two different teams.
I again like the under. Against the Lakers, Minnesota went into overtime and still only managed 102 points. OKC doesn't have the best defense, but it basically ranks the same as the Lakers in terms of efficiency. Plus, Minnesota isn't exactly playing its best basketball right now. The Chemistry is off.
If there is one player I trust, it's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA). There is absolutely an outcome here of Minnesota imploding and the Thunder winning by 20-plus, so this is insurance for that. The BettingPros Prop Bet Cheat Sheet gives SGA going over his combo prop a 70 percent chance of hitting, so I love the odds.
Check out our other best bets for Friday:
- MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions
- NBA Play-In Game Same Game Parlay Odds, Picks & Predictions
- NHL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions
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Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @ryancoleman_98. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.