NBA Player Props 4/22
The NBA playoffs are here and we just finished every game one over the weekend. Each series opened with the home team taking the 1-0 series lead. However, the one trend that is going to affect our player prop plays is that the total went under in six of the eight games. That is no surprise with the intensity increasing, which means you have to look at the board and not be afraid to take some unders.
We have three games today on the slate. The Denver Nuggets try to make it 10 straight wins over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to tie up the series against the New York Knicks before it returns to Philly. We have the Orlando Magic looking to bounce back against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Darius Garland Under 16.5 Points (-113)
The Cavaliers practically dominated the entire game against the Magic in game one. Donovan Mitchell led the way, while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley demolished the glass. However, Darius Garland was extremely quiet, and for good reason. The Magic inserted Jonathan Isaac in the starting lineup, one of the best defenders in the NBA. That led to the pick-and-roll defense on Garland being extremely difficult for him to execute.
Jalen Suggs and Isaac have the length and quickness to disrupt Garland on getting to his pull-up jump shot and finding Allen on the roll. On the scoring side, the Magic are going too much of a force on Garland. Suggs is a fantastic defender who will stay with him throughout the entire game.
That defense by the Magic held Garland to 14 points. The Magic need to focus on Mitchell more, but the overall makeup of this team and Isaac in the starting five will make Garland ineffective most of the game.
Jamal Murray Over 24.5 Points (-115)
The Nuggets beat the Lakers for the 9th straight time. They might simply own the Lakers at this point. That game-one victory happened despite Jamal Murray having a bad game to his playoff standards. Murray decimated the Lakers in the Conference Finals last season. He averaged 32.5 points in those four games last year.
In game one of this season, Murray only scored 22 points and shot 9-24 from the field. He also didn’t get to the free-throw line throughout the entire game. He had great looks, but the shots were just not falling. I think the Lakers are going to defend Murray the same way and all he has to do is knock them down.
The history of this matchup screams that Murray will have an explosive game sooner rather than later. I think tonight is the night he torments the Lakers. I would take the over and maybe even sprinkle in a 30-point (+270) game for him tonight.
Tyrese Maxey Under 5.5 Assists (-115)
News came out this morning that Tyrese Maxey is dealing with an illness and was not participating in the team’s shootaround. However, if he is going to play I think the under 5.5 assists was the perfect way to go. Maxey is not the traditional point guard by any means. He is programmed to score first. Furthermore, he is not a playmaker in the half-court as well.
In game one, Maxey finished with 4 assists but shot 26 times and scored 33 points. The Sixers are going to need Maxey to score a lot with Joel Embiid dealing with that nagging knee injury. Also, their pace hinders Maxey’s assist chances.
Maxey is a speed demon on the floor, but in the half-court, the tempo is extremely slowed down when they give the ball to Embiid and let him iso a defender. Embiid might garner double and triple teams, which would lead to open shooters. Maxey is not going to be the one to garner assists.
The Knicks-Sixers series is going to be a slow-paced, slugfest. Maxey will have to score to be seen in this series and for the Sixers to have a shot. Do not expect him to dish it out and rack up some high assist totals.
Josh Hart 10+ Rebounds (-240)
Josh Hart is only 6’4″, but you wouldn’t know that when watching him. Hart is a monster who is grabbing rebounds, and this is the perfect matchup for him. The Sixers do not have a lot of rebounders on the roster. Their best rebounder, Joel Embiid, is dealing with a knee injury. He is not going to jump a lot for rebounds, as he is going to need to stay fresh for his offensive workload. However, that is not going to stop Isaiah Hartenstein or Mitchell Robinson from boxing him out on every missed shot.
Hart managed to snag 13 rebounds in game one. Tonight should see the same outcome. Outside of hitting those clutch threes, Hart is going to be needed on the glass while his big men box out the reigning MVP.
Noel is from Philadelphia, PA. He went to West Chester University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications in Media & Culture.
