You couldn't ask for two better games to watch on a Sunday afternoon that the second round series opener between the Heat and Knicks and the winner-take-all Game 7 matchup between the Warriors and Kings. It's a dream doubleheader for playing PrizePicks.
A quick refresher if you aren’t familiar with PrizePicks: you can combine up to five different player squares to payout up to 10x your entry.
You can do a Flex Play or a Power Play. A Flex Play gives you lesser odds, but you can win money if you do not nail every pick. A Power Play is all-or-nothing.
Here’s how I would approach today’s slate in NBA Playoffs slate.
What is PrizePicks? A daily fantasy operator — meaning they’re available in more states (30) than sports betting is! — PrizePicks offers a unique opportunity for action on player squares in which you parlay two or more plays together.
Jimmy Butler Less Than 1.5 Total 3-Pointers
Taking an under on Jimmy Butler right now is about as scary as it gets after his first-round performance. Butler averaged 37.6 points per game while shooting 59.7% from the field and 44.4% from behind the arc. The Bucks never adjusted their drop coverage, which let Butler get any shot that he wanted. Of course after he got cooking scoring the ball, Butler attempted more perimeter shots and ended up making 12 total 3-pointers in the Heat's 4-1 series victory.
In his four games against the Knicks dominant defense, Butler averaged only 0.8 3-pointers made per game and in two of those four games he didn't even attempt a single 3-pointer. The Knicks currently lead all playoffs teams with a 101.9 Defensive Rating allowing just 94.2 points per game. Butler may still be riding high from that Bucks series, but the Knicks suffocating defense will be forcing him into tough shots all night. A scary pick, but the numbers don't lie.
Malik Monk More Than 17.5 Points
In his first season with the Kings, Malik Monk has been phenomenal all season long and arguably should've received more votes for Sixth Man of the Year. Monk has carried that momentum into the postseason where he has averaged 19.8 points per game with a 24.8% Usage Rate, both of which rank second on the Kings behind All-Star De'Aaron Fox.
With Fox hobbled with a broken finger and Domantas Sabonis not even being guarded at the free throw line, Monk has had to take matters into his own hands scoring the ball. He has scored 18 or more points in four of the six games in this series and in all three home games. He will likely play around 30 minutes in this winner take all Game 7 and have plenty of opportunities to score 18-plus points given that these two teams are leading the playoffs with a 105 total Pace.
Klay Thompson More Than 0.5 Free Throws Made
One of my favorite PrizePicks props to take is over 0.5 free throws made on any player. It helps when that player is Klay Thompson, who is automatic from the charity stripe. He has made all eight free throw attempts in this series and is a career 85.2% shooter at the line throughout his career. This will come down to Thompson getting fouled today.
Thompson is known for his perimeter shooting with over 60% of his field goal attempts coming from behind the arc in this series. However, he has four three throw attempts in two of his last three games. In a Game 7, Thompson is going to do whatever he can to put points on the board. Throughout his career, Thompson has averaged 2.5 free throw attempts in Game 7s. If he just gets to line once, Thompson has an incredible chance of at least making one.
