NBA Underdog Pick’em Player Predictions: Friday (5/3)
There are two games on the NBA Playoffs slate tonight. Each game is the sixth of the series, so expect some high-volume minutes for some of the larger contributors playing this evening.
So, let's spare no extra time in jumping right into some of Underdog Pick’ems for Friday, May 3.
Friday’s Top Underdog Fantasy NBA Pick 'Ems
Kyrie Irving Under 5.5 1Q Points
Kyrie Irving has absolutely held his own in regard to production in this series against the Los Angeles Clippers. We expect that to continue tonight. The issue is that there is seemingly more of a jolt in the second half than there is in the first half in the previous five contests.
Over this series, the veteran guard is averaging 7.4 points on 39.4% shooting from the field and 30.8% from beyond the arc in the opening half. Compared to the second half, where averages skyrocket to 18.4 points on 55.9% shooting from the field and 48.1% from three-point distance, that is quite a vast difference.
Luka Doncic Under 3.5 Three-Pointers
The day is just starting, and you most likely haven't taken the train yet. Though I'm confident someone suggesting taking an under on Luka Doncic in a possible close-out game will be the craziest thing you will see this morning.
Hear me out, though; there have only been two contests where the Slovenian mega-star has eclipsed this total. Without mixing words, the numbers are bad. In this series, he is averaging three three-pointers made on 11.4 attempts per game at a 26.3% clip. A Knee issue is more than likely the reason behind the inefficiency from deep, and averaging 42.4 minutes per game in the series doesn't exactly help in that situation.
Derrick Jones Jr. Under 1.5 Three Pointers
I sincerely wish this number was at 0.5. It would be a strong contender for pick of the night. Alas, Derrick Jones Jr. has been experiencing an increase in playing time and production, resulting in this total rising from the first five contests.
With an average of one three-pointer made on 2.4 attempts, there's not much room for error, even though the Dallas forward has hit five in the last three games. If the attempts were higher, the case for more would be much stronger. So we will take the cautious route and pick lower than two three-pointers made.
Wendell Carter Jr. Under 16.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
The opposite end of this pick was a personal favorite for the last contest, and tonight I will regrettably have to jump off that train. In the first two games of the series, Wendall Carter Jr failed to see over 20 minutes of court time, as Orlando chose to give Jonathan Isaac an increased role. That quickly changed when the Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead in the series. In Game 5 of the series in the Orlando Center, Carter Jr. saw 35 minutes of action, over 11 minutes more than the previous two contests.
This total suggests a repeat performance of playing time and considering shooting efficiency averages of 38.5% from the field and 28.6% from deep; it just seems a little too risky.
Donovan Mitchell Under 2.5 Three Pointers
Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers have a chance to close out the Orlando Magic tonight in what has already been a fantastic series. If you've been following, the home teams are yet to take a loss against their opponent, and we think that should continue tonight.
The Magic have emphasized making perimeter shooting as difficult as possible for Cleveland, as the numbers for Mitchell reflect that completely. He's only surpassed this total one time in the first five games, and you guessed it, this was at home. This includes only one three-pointer made in each of the last three contests.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Friday: