NBA Playoffs Player Prop Bets, Picks & Predictions: Thursday (4/24)
The NBA playoffs feature three first-round Game 3 matchups across tonight's slate. The season has been fun, and we got some goliaths at the top of the food chain, but these are lining up to be a very exciting playoffs. If you're joining us for the first time, welcome. It's been a great year, and I hope we continue that trend tonight.
As always, monitor any potential news and lineup announcements. The best way to stay informed about NBA player props is by staying up-to-date with the news. That's not as prevalent in the playoffs, but you never know what might happen. The second-best way is to shop around at different sportsbooks. Player props rarely have identical odds across platforms, so ensure you get the best value. Let's get to it.
Unless specified otherwise, each bet will be for a single unit.
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Thursday’s Best NBA Player Prop Bets
Last Time: 1-2 | Season: 148-106
Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 Points + Assists (-120 at bet365)
Over their last 30 games, no team has allowed more points to opposing power forwards than the Memphis Grizzlies. There is no team I'm happier to bet overs for than the Oklahoma City Thunder blindly. Oklahoma City has dominated the first two games, and I don't expect that to change much as they head to Memphis.
The Grizzlies ranked as the fastest team in the league this year while ranking fourth over their last 15 games. During that same period, the Grizzlies have been in the middle of the pack defensively. They haven't had an answer for Chet Holmgren yet this series, and I expect him to continue doing just fine tonight. He only needed 21 minutes to get to 19 points to open the series. If he plays his normal minutes, he'll get over 15 points easily to go with a pair of boards.
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 21.5 Points (-110 at BetMGM)
It feels a little backwards to bet the over as New York travels to Detroit as the Pistons look to take a lead in the series, but this number is too low. Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged over 24 points a night this year and has covered this line in 11 of his last 15 games. Jalen Duren is a fine defender, but Detroit has allowed the 14th-most points to opposing centers to round out the season.
That's not exactly high, but they are a pretty big pace-up spot as the seventh-fastest team after the All-Star break and only have a middle-of-the-pack defense. This is a fine spot for Towns to have a solid game. His usage rate has been incredibly low in the first two games of the series, but he still managed 23 points to open the playoffs. I have to imagine he'll be schemed more as the series goes on, and that starts tonight.
Russell Westbrook Over 19.5 Points + Assists + Rebounds (-117 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
I know he doesn't start and this game is going on the road for Denver, but Russell Westbrook has covered this line in four straight games and 70% of games this season. The BettingPros Prop Bet Cheat Sheet projects 23 for this combo prop. Despite the juice, I'm trusting The Sheet.
Westbrook averaged 14 points, five boards and five assists a game over his last 27 games. Despite the slower pace against a solid defense, this line is too low for tonight's match. Westbrook should see the court for nearly 30 minutes and get plenty of opportunities. He has a 26% usage rate when he sees the court. It's way more fun to bet overs anyway.
Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @ryancoleman_98. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.