Germantas Kneita
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Both the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns were able to win at home to open up their respective series. They will be looking to replicate those performances tonight to ensure they maintain home-court advantage during these semifinals. Up against them tonight will be the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks. Both will be hoping they do not find themselves in a 2-0 hole when heading back home later this week.
You can find our full coverage of the NBA here. But for now check out my favorite player props below.
James Harden over 7.5 rebounds (+106)
With Joel Emiid remaining out, the 76ers will require a massive effort from James Harden to be competitive tonight. That will include helping out on the boards. In Game 1 he was tied for a team-high 9 rebounds and I expect something similar here. So far in this postseason the 76ers are allowing teams to make 29.2% of their 3-point shots, the 2nd-best mark in the league. If they can continue to force the Heat to miss from the perimeter, it should continue to lead to long rebounding opportunities for guards, including Harden. Without their star center on the inside to challenge for boards, Harden could have success collecting them closer to the rim too. It would not a surprise to see him reach double-digit rebounds.
Take a look at our full game preview for Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat.
Max Strus under 11.5 points (-106)
The Heat were able to outscore the 76ers by a margin of 27 points in Game 1 while Max Strus was on the floor for them. However, the guard himself did not have a great offensive night. He made just 2 of 8 shots from the field, ending up with 5 points in 33 minutes of playing time. It was not the first time he has struggled against the 76ers this season. Through 4 regular-season games he averages 7.5 points per game, shooting below 30% from the field and 3-point line. He is also listed as being day-to-day, dealing with a hamstring issue. That could have an impact on his ability to get open tonight and potentially limit his playing time. As a result, he could be set for another low-scoring performance.
Wednesday’s NBA mega parlay is also available (+1028 odds) – Tuesday’s cashed at +1121 odds!
Mikal Bridges over 4.5 rebounds (-110)
In Game 1 against the Mavericks, Mikal Bridges had his best rebounding night for the Suns during these playoffs. He recorded 7 boards in 42 minutes of action. The forward has played fewer than 40 minutes just once so far during the postseason. Expect him to be equally involved tonight. Going up against Luka Doncic helps his rebounding numbers too. The Mavericks’ star is someone that looks to score in the low post. In those situations, bigs such as Maxi Kleber step out to space the floor, which makes it easier for Bridges to get the board if he can force Doncic to miss. The Suns wing has been able to record 5 or more boards in 5 of the 7 playoff games. With the minutes he gets and a matchup that will force him into the paint, do not be surprised to see that hit once more tonight.
Read our full game preview for Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns.
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