Germantas Kneita
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Saturday is a day many of us have been waiting for as it marks the start of the NBA playoffs. The days action starts off with the matchup between the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks and will be followed by 3 more games. With such a packed slate ahead of us, I have picked out my favorite player prop for each of the games.
You can find our full NBA game previews here. But for now check out my player prop selections below
Jalen Brunson over 1.5 made threes (-108)
With Luka Doncic confirmed to be out for the Dallas Mavericks, someone else on their squad will have to step up. I expect that person to be Jalen Brunson tonight. He will be going up against a Utah Jazz team that has struggled to defend the perimeter at the end of the season. Over the last 10 games the Jazz are 20th in opponent 3-point makes per game and 28th in 3-point percentage, with teams making 40.4% of their attempts. Their drop coverage defense encourages pull up jump shots from guards, which Brunson can exploit. He has hit multiple 3-pointers against the Jazz in 2 of the 3 games he has played against them, making 40% of his attempts in the process. In the absence of Doncic, he should get the chance to repeat that in Game 1.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks.
Scottie Barnes over 0.5 made threes (-106)
Of the regular Toronto Raptors starters this season, Scottie Barnes has the worst 3-point shooting percentage. The rookie converted 30.1% of his attempts this season. As a result, I expect the Philadelphia 76ers to tailor their defense to make sure he is the one presented with the shooting opportunities. Barnes however is still capable of knocking down these shots. He made at least 1 3-pointer in 2 of his 3 games against the 76ers this season. He was also able to close out the regular season by making a perimeter shot in 5 of his last 6 games. Over the last 2 games against the hosts here he has attempted 8 total 3-pointers. If he gets 4 attempts off here, I expect this to hit.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers.
Patrick Beverley over 4.5 rebounds (+110)
Patrick Beverley came through huge in the play-in game for the Minnesota Timberwolves, especially on the rebounding front. He recorded 11 boards against the Los Angeles Clippers and I expect him to keep that going against the Memphis Grizzlies tonight. He is likely to see time against Ja Morant tonight, who is at his best attacking the rim. That should force Beverley to drop back into the paint with him. Considering the size of the Timberwolves frontline it is no surprise that they have allowed the 11th fewest points in the paint this season. If their bigs are able to challenge Morant at the rim, Beverley should be well positioned to grab the boards. He is averaging 4.8 rebounds against the Grizzlies this season and should be able to exceed that tonight.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Minnesota Timberwolves vs Memphis Grizzlies.
Nikola Jokic over 14.5 rebounds (-112)
The reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has had the best rebounding season of his career for the Denver Nuggets, averaging 13.8 per night. He was even more successful when going up against the Golden State Warriors, where his average jumps to 15.8 rebounds in 4 games. As a result, he has been able to hit this line in 3 of those games. The Warriors are a great matchup for him as he sees plenty of time against Kevon Looney. The Warriors center sees his playing time jump to close to 28 minutes per night when playing against the Nuggets. Jokic has a size advantage over him and with Looney not being able to space the floor, Jokic often finds himself in prime rebounding position. The same would be the case if Draymond Green decided to switch onto him. As a result, back the over on Jokic.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors.
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