NBA Same Game Parlays & Picks: Tuesday (5/5)
Tuesday marks the start of two more NBA second-round series. The Detroit Pistons host the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Los Angeles Lakers. Below, I make picks for each game, highlighting which players I think will excel or struggle. Here are the best NBA same game parlays (SGPs) for Tuesday, May 5th.
Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating >>
Tuesday’s Best NBA Same Game Parlays & Picks
(Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook)
Cavaliers vs. Pistons Same Game Parlay
Leg #1: Cavaliers Moneyline (+130)
Based on how the Pistons played in their first-round series against the Magic, I'm backing the Cavaliers to win this series. While these two teams were evenly matched during the regular season, splitting the season series 2-2, the Cavaliers beat the Pistons by 21 points in Detroit earlier in the season, and they forced overtime in Detroit in late February.
While the Pistons were phenomenal defensively in the first round, allowing the fewest points per game of any team, they also averaged only 102.4 points per game. While playing great defense worked against the Magic’s lackluster offense, it won't work against the fourth-highest-scoring team in the regular season.
Leg #2: Cade Cunningham Under 29.5 Points (-123)
Cade Cunningham is the reason the Pistons were able to avoid an upset at the hands of the Magic in the first round. He averaged 32.4 points per game, scoring at least 32 in the final three must-win games of the series. Yet, I think this number overvalues Cunningham in this spot.
Cunningham averaged 23.9 points per game during the regular season, and despite his incredible first round, he scored 27 or fewer points in three of the seven games. He hasn't scored more than 27 points in any of his four games against the Cavaliers this season, scoring 12 or fewer twice.
Leg #3: Donovan Mitchell Under 2.5 Made Three-Pointers (+107)
Donovan Mitchell has only faced the Pistons twice this season, but he's yet to make more than three three-pointers against them. In the game where he made three triples, he shot just 30% from deep.
Mitchell struggled from deep late in the series against the Toronto Raptors, making just two three-pointers in each of his final two games against them, and shooting just 4-of-19 in that two-game stretch. The Pistons allowed the Magic to shoot just 32.8% from deep in the first round, and they finished the regular season with the top three-point shooting defense in the league.
Parlay Odds: +650
Lakers vs. Thunder Same Game Parlay
Leg #1: Thunder -15.5 (-110)
The Thunder have already beaten the Lakers four times this season, and none of the matchups were particularly close. The only time the Lakers scored more than 100 points, they lost by nine points.
In the other three games, the Lakers scored 96 points or fewer, and the Thunder won each by at least 29 points. With Luka Doncic still out, I don't see how the Lakers keep up with the Thunder in this game. Every game in this series may be a blowout.
Leg #2: Ajay Mitchell 18+ Points (+129)
Jalen Williams is going to miss this game, which means we should expect to see an increased role from Ajay Mitchell in this contest.
Mitchell played at least 29 minutes in each of his last three games, and he's scored at least 14 points in each of those contests. In Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns, he scored 22.
When these two teams met twice in April, Mitchell failed to top 10 points in either contest. But he also played only 37 total minutes, including 21 in the Thunder's 123-87 win.
Though he only attempted 16 shots against the Lakers in those two games in April, I expect much more production from Mitchell in Game 1, as he's attempted at least 16 shots in each of his last two games.
Leg #3: Chet Holmgren Over 9.5 Rebounds (+109)
Chet Holmgren averaged 8.9 rebounds per game this season, so he'll need to go over his season average to hit this prop in Game 1. And while Holmgren only grabbed more than eight rebounds in one game in the first round, there are a few reasons to like him in this matchup.
First, despite playing more than 22 minutes in just one of his four regular-season games against the Lakers, Holmgren recorded at least 10 rebounds twice. In the first round, he averaged 30 minutes per game, so Holmgren will have more opportunities than in the regular season.
Second, the Thunder had the best regular-season shooting defense, which should mean more missed shots than usual for a Lakers team that shot over 50% during the regular season.
Parlay Odds: +750
For more of my picks and predictions throughout the NBA postseason, subscribe to BettingPros. Right now, new subscribers receive a 20% discount that grants access to picks, predictions, and odds comparison tools.
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.