What can we glean from the main betting trends that have emerged over the first three days of the NBA playoffs? Not much, it would seem; the favorites are just 7-5 ATS over the opening 12 games, while the teams have combined to go 7-5 O/U.
Here are my top NBA betting plays for Thursday (Odds courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook):
Check out our daily NBA consensus moneylines and point spreads here >>
Jimmy Butler Under 22.5 Points (-120)
Butler showed plenty of aggression in the Miami Heat’s series-opening victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, knocking down his first two 3-pointers since early March while getting to the free-throw line 12 times (and making 10) en route to a 28-point performance. Look for the Pacers to adjust accordingly against Butler, who finished with 28 points in the victory but averaged less than 20 during the regular season. I see him regressing Thursday.
Oklahoma City-Houston Over 225.5 Points (-110)
The Houston Rockets didn’t shoot well from long-range against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the regular season - so their solution in Game 1 of the playoffs, apparently, was to rely on volume over efficiency. And it worked: Houston fired 52 3-point attempts in the game, knocking down 20 of them en route to a 123-108 victory. Whether they want to or not, the Thunder will need to up their long-range game to keep pace, and that should send Game 2 over the total.
Los Angeles Lakers -6.5 (-110)
The Lakers were given a dose of reality in Game 1 of their best-of-seven against Portland, shooting just 15.6 percent from 3-point range and 64.5 percent from the foul line in a 100-93 defeat. LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 51 of the Lakers’ 93 points in that defeat, which won’t happen again Thursday night. Look for the Lakers to fix their shooting woes and even this series with an emphatic victory.
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