Germantas Kneita
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The Dallas Mavericks and the Philadelphia 76ers will be at home for tonight’s NBA games looking to pick up their first wins in their respective series. A loss for either team tonight will put them in a 3-0 hole, something from which no team in NBA history has ever recovered. For the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns, this is a great chance to strike a telling blow in their series.
You can find our full coverage of the NBA here. But for now check out my favorite player props below.
Tyrese Maxey over 3.5 assists (-110)
Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers has so far struggled to share the rock against the Heat. He has recorded just 3 assists over the first 2 games combined, but that could be about to change. Maxey went off for 34 points in his last outing as he enjoyed far more success off the dribble than any of his teammates. I expect the Heat to adjust tonight to ensure he encounters tougher resistance at the rim. The 76ers have made just 21.9% of their 3-point attempts in this series and the visitors could look to force them to beat them from the outside. I expect the hosts’ shooting efficiency to improve in front of their home crowd. And Maxey having the most success at breaking down the defense, he could be the one best positioned to facilitate it.
Take a look at our full game preview for Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers.
Maxi Kleber over 8.5 points (+106)
The Mavericks have been getting a consistent level of performance from Maxi Kleber through the playoffs. He has been able to score 9 or more points in 5 of the 8 games so far, including in both against the Suns. In Game 2 he was able to do that despite not hitting a perimeter shot. Considering that he is making 50% of his 3-pointers this postseason, that type of performance is unlikely from him tonight. The German has an important role to play this series and he did see his playing time increase from Game 1 to Game 2. His ability to play as a 5 in small-ball lineups pulls Deandre Ayton away from the paint, opening up opportunities to score on the inside for his team. With close to 30 minutes of playing time, I see him hitting this line once more.
Read our full game preview for Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks.
Jalen Brunson over 1.5 made threes (+155)
Jalen Brunson’s offensive contribution for the Mavericks against the Utah Jazz was crucial in helping them advance to the semifinals. They will need him to step up once more if they are to beat the Suns. The guard averaged 27.8 points in the previous series and just 11 points so far through 2 games in this round. One way he could look to change that is by attacking from the 3-point line. The Suns are allowing teams to make 37.4% of their perimeter shots this postseason, a touch worse than the Jazz allowed. Therefore, if he is more aggressive looking for his shot, Brunson could see improvements from beyond the arc. He is yet to hit multiple 3-pointers in a game this series but has done so on 3 occasions the previous round. I expect him to manage that in a must-win game tonight too.
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