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Top 3 NBA Betting Picks for Saturday, June 26th (2021)

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The home team has won each game in the Western Conference Finals series between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers. Devin Booker and the Suns were able to secure two wins to begin the series sans Chris Paul, but the Clippers responded in Game 3. With Paul taking part in his second game, the two teams will meet again on Saturday in what should be another exhilarating matchup at the Staples Center.

Tyronn Lue has altered the starting lineup for the Clippers in this series, which has prompted bettors to adjust. In addition, the return of Paul causes players on the Suns to partake in different roles on the court, leading to certain players producing different numbers in the box score. Taking in what we’ve seen thus far and what we could see in Saturday’s pivotal Game 4, I’ve compiled a few bets that I’m confident in making.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

YTD: 8-8-0

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Ivica Zubac Over 9.5 rebounds (-144)

Besides the addition of Patrick Beverley and Terance Mann to the starting lineup, Lue inserted Ivica Zubac into the starting lineup in the past two games. Back in Game 1, Lue seemed to believe that a small-ball lineup with Nicolas Batum at the center spot would suffice against Deandre Ayton. But after Ayton had no issue having his way on the offensive end, Lue went with Zubac to match Ayton’s size.

In the two games that Zubac has started in this series, he’s corraled 11 and 16 rebounds, respectively. The former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers has eclipsed 32+ minutes in back-to-back games, and there’s no reason he doesn’t receive similar minutes in Game 4. When Zubac received 30+ minutes during the regular season, he grabbed 10+ rebounds in 54.5 percent of those games. Also, in the last two contests, Zubac has the second-most rebound opportunities among players in the playoffs with 23, making me comfortable backing his over 9.5 rebounds on Saturday.

Reggie Jackson Over 19.5 points (-102)

As the Clippers look to defend home court again in Game 4, they won’t have Leonard available for the sixth-straight game in the postseason. While Paul George has accepted an expanded role amid the absence of Leonard, so has Reggie Jackson. Jackson has stepped up in a large way for Los Angeles, operating as the No. 2 option in the offense.

Over the course of the five games that Leonard has missed so far, Jackson has averaged 23 points per game for the Clippers. The veteran point guard has also taken 15+ shots in all five of those games, and he’s made at least seven shots in each of them. Jackson has shot a modest 35.7 percent from beyond the arc, making at least three three-pointers in each game without Leonard in the playoffs. Given the magnitude of Saturday’s showdown, I believe Jackson will record 20+ points for the fifth time in his last six appearances.

Deandre Ayton Over 16.5 points (-118)

Even though Los Angeles made the right move in starting Zubac, that doesn’t mean that Ayton still isn’t making his presence felt in this series. Regardless of who is playing at center for the Clippers, Ayton has had no trouble getting in the paint and wreaking havoc. For example, at the end of Game 2, Ayton — who received a dazzling pass from Jae Crowder — dunked the ball through the basket with under one second remaining in the game to give the Suns a 2-0 lead.

Ahead of the fourth meeting on Saturday, Ayton has registered 18+ points for Phoenix in each of the first three games. Before facing the Clippers three times, Ayton had surpassed 17+ points just once in his last seven games in the playoffs. It seems as if we’re getting the same Ayton we saw at the beginning of the first-round series against the Lakers when he notched 21+ points in the first three games. Ayton has averaged 12.7 paint touches per game versus the Clippers, which is the most among players remaining in the playoffs. Given Ayton’s increased involvement in the offense, and with Paul/Booker feeding him easy baskets, Ayton should be able to clear 16.5 points on Saturday.

NBA Prop Bets

Check out our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for the top bets of the day >>


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Skyler Carlin is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Skyler, check out his archive and follow him @skyler_carlin.