NBA Player Prop & Pick
Caris LeVert, Under 1.5 Made 3s
| Odds | -135 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Books Available | DraftKings |
This bet is pretty cut and dry: LeVert is unlikely to see the volume he needs to clear this line. The Cavs wing only played 18 minutes in Game 1, as Coach JB Bickerstaff leaned on his starters for significant court time. LeVert only took three attempts from long range and failed to convert any of them.
Over the course of the regular season, LeVert stayed under this line in 19 of 25 games in which he came off the bench and played fewer than 30 minutes. And while he shot a very respectable 39% from deep, he only averaged one 3-point attempt per every seven minutes he was on the floor.
I only have LeVert hitting one 3-pointer in Game 2, and I’d play this line up to -150.
Pick: Caris LeVert Under 1.5 Made 3s (-135 | Bet to -150)
Julius Randle, Under 24.5 Points
| Odds | -115 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Books Available | DraftKings |
Coming off an ankle injury that kept him out for the final five regular season games, Julius Randle came back with a bang to help lead the Knicks to a Game 1 victory.
However, he was held to just 19 points in 34 minutes. It’s a brutal matchup for the two-time All Star, as he’s drawing a matchup against defensive player of the year runner-up Evan Mobley and the stout Cavs interior defense.
Randle has traditionally struggled against these bigger matchups. He’ll rely more on the 3-pointer (as he did in Game 1, with 10 of his 20 shots coming from deep). But given the slower nature of this game, I don’t see the Knicks forward getting the volume he’d need.
Plus, Randle did almost all of his offensive work in the first half, when Jalen Brunson was plagued by foul trouble. I expect a massive workload for the Knicks point guard, rendering Randle more of a number 2, in a tougher matchup.
I have Randle projected at 21 points and would play this line down to under 23.5 points.
Pick: Julius Randle Under 24.5 Points (-115 | Bet to 23.5)
Deandre Ayton, Under 28.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
| Odds | -120 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| Books Available | DraftKings |
Let's run this one back after successfully playing it in Game 1 of this series. Ayton has now failed to clear this line in six of the nine games he’s played with a healthy Kevin Durant.
With the Suns now down zero games to one in a must-win game at home, I’m thinking Phoenix leans even more on Durant and Chris Paul. Plus, the streaky Ivica Zubac is running hot defensively, making this a subpar matchup for the Suns center.
I have Ayton projected at 25 PRA and would play this line down to under 27.5 PRA.
Pick: Deandre Ayton Under 28.5 PRA (-120 | Bet to 27.5)
