Welcome to Sleeper Picks! Sleeper’s newest offering promised plenty of entertainment and action, and they delivered. We will break down our top three picks for tonight's NBA action. Similar to fantasy sports, the goal in Sleeper Picks is to draft a team of players based on who you think will perform better than the field. But with Sleeper Picks, you pick teams of 2-8 players from multiple teams based on your preferences and predict whether those players will score more or less than a predetermined amount. There are a number of ways to play and a variety of strategies to employ, and we’ll guide you through the process each week.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions (5/8/24)
Regular season record: 202-130
Playoff record: 21-23
Jayson Tatum (F – BOS): OVER 19.5 (alt line)
It's another tough slate as far as More's are concerned, so we will be digging back into the alt line well. Tatum has scored 20 or more points in four of his five playoff games but managed just 16 in Game 5. Tatum can be an electric scorer, but his inconsistency in the playoffs is noted. He should be back well over 20 tonight, but the 26.5 this total is actually listed at is another matter. Tatum has scored more than 26 points just once so far in the postseason and scored 25, 27, and 26 points against the Cavs in the regular season. Since I know most are averse to Less plays, we will sacrifice a significant portion of the multiplier and go for the More on 19.5. Tap the More on Tatum for Game 1.
Jalen Brunson (G – NYK): OVER 39.5 points (alt line)
Brunson has been magnificent in these playoffs. He is brimming with confidence thanks to a team that believes in him enough to allow him to volume his way out of slumps and has the Knicks in pole position for a Conference Finals appearance. The total is listed at 37.5 for tonight but we will boost the total to 39.5 to increase our multiplier from 1.80x to 2.08x. Brunson has been on a 40 point binge, and with their opponent being Indiana, only a disastrous shooting night or a massive reduction in volume should be able to prevent Brunson from hitting 40 again. Brunson has scored 40 or more in four straight and has hit 39 or more in five straight. He has taken at least 26 shots and six trips to the line in every playoff game so far. He has been to the charity stripe nine times in six of his seven playoff games. Bump the More on Brunson for Game 2.
OG Anunoby (G/F – TOR): OVER 5.5 rebounds (alt line)
OG has been crashing the boards lately, hauling in six or more rebounds in each of his past four and nine or more in three of those four. Tagged with a 7.5 rebound total, there is some value in the More, but the alt line looks much more appealing at 5.5. OG was quiet on the boards to start the postseason, grabbing just four boards in each of his first three. He has hauled in 14, 6, 9, and 9 in the four games since. Hit the More on OG for Game 2.
Writers note: The lines are constantly changing on Sleeper (and sometimes expiring), so there is a high probability that one or all of the numbers may no longer be the same when you open your app. There are excellent values when they are first posted, with the only catch being that they are not all released at the same time. Vigilance could provide a solid return on investment this season, literally.
Transform your betting strategy with Automated Line Tracking across all major markets and sports >>
Raju Byfield is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Raju, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyContext.