A 2-1 showing for Wednesday’s Eastern Conference Play-In games was solid. Let’s see if we can bust out the brooms to find that elusive sweep heading into the weekend. Here are three of my favorite player predictions on PrizePicks for this Friday, April 19.
A 2-1 showing for Wednesday’s Eastern Conference Play-In games was solid. Let’s see if we can bust out the brooms to find that elusive sweep heading into the weekend. Here are three of my favorite player predictions on PrizePicks for this Friday, April 19.
Our PrizePicks Cheat Sheet helps bettors by comparing lines from PrizePicks vs. our daily NBA projections >>
Friday’s Best NBA PrizePicks Player Predictions
PrizePicks record: 113-77-1
This is a lofty total for DeMar DeRozan to eclipse, even in a must-win game. The Heat always do a good job shutting down their opponents’ go-to guy. They have hardly allowed him to go over this line in the past. Since joining Chicago, DeRozan has gone under this in eight out of 10 games against Miami, averaging 34 points + rebounds + assists (PRA). Additionally, without Zach LaVine, he is under this mark in 39-of-56 (70%) games this season, averaging 35.5 PRA. Both teams play at a glacial pace, setting up a 205 total for the game, so take the less than here.
This is a little contradictive to the slow pace, low total argument above. However, without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro will be the primary facilitator for Miami. In the last game with a hobbled Butler, Herro recorded nine assists against the 76ers. Now he faces a Bulls team that has ceded the eighth-most assists to opposing point guards. We just saw Trae Young finish with 10 assists on Wednesday. Herro is no Young, but he’s Miami’s only facilitating option and should be able to clear this with roughly 40 minutes on the floor in this must-win game.
The Pelicans will take on an entirely different shape without Zion Williamson. The most obvious thing seems like more time for Jonas Valanciunas on the floor. In 12 games without Williamson this season, Valanciunas has averaged roughly 28 minutes per game. He has exceeded this line in nine of those contests, averaging 30.4 PRA. The Lithuanian Lightning has also had no trouble going head-to-head with Domantas Sabonis in the past either. Since joining the Pelicans, he has squared off with Sabonis on nine occasions. He is averaging nearly 30 PRA and has gone over this line in every game.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Friday:
Tyler Gentile is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @808Paperboi.
