Germantas Kneita
NBA
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Tonight we are set to see the the fourth games in each of these playoff series, and with each one tightly contested at 2-1, there is plenty on the line for all teams involved. The Knicks, Clippers and Suns will be looking to regain the home court advantage that they lost in the first two games that they played. The Celtics on the other hand will be trying to make sure they do not find themselves on the brink of elimination heading back to Brooklyn for game five of the series.
You can find our full game previews here, and now lets take a look at some of the best player prop picks for tonight’s game.
Derrick Rose over 20.5 points (-108)
With Julius Randle largely going missing in the first three games, having failed to surpass the 15 point mark at any point the Knicks have needed someone else to step up. Luckily for them Derrick Rose has been rolling back the years and is putting together performances more in line with his MVP season. He has been able to up his point output in each of the three games so far resulting in a 30-point effort in game three. Whilst his minutes have remained steady, Tom Thibodeau has given him a larger role within the offense having moved him to the starting line up. He is now managed 21 field goal attempts in each of the last two games and considering the matchups, that should not drop off tonight.
The Atlanta Hawks do have several high quality defenders in their rotation but none of those are in the backcourt. Trae Young has been historically a poor defender and he is not able to do much to stop Rose, who has a size and strength advantage over him. Bodgan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter lack the footspeed to keep in front of him whilst Lou Williams is not someone that has been considered a lock down defender either so there really is no one on the Hawks who can stop him one on one. If they do try to double team him, it could allow the space for players like Randle and RJ Barrett to rediscover their scoring form, something the Hawks would look to avoid.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks.
Andre Drummond over 9.5 rebounds (-102)
This is simply a case of if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. I backed Andre Drummond to collect double digit boards in game three and he delivered, collecting 11 in 20 minutes of playing time. He was a plus minus 12 in the game so it would not be a surprise to see his minutes increase slightly here. In five games this season against the Suns he has managed double digit boards in four games, with nine in the one game that he missed. With Deandre Ayton still being a menace in the paint, Drummond is going to have a role to play. And with him being a rebound magnet, this line should once again have a very good chance of hitting.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers.
James Harden over 3.5 made threes (+196)
James Harden was able to heat up in game three of the series, erupting for 41 points, knocking down seven of 12 threes in the process. That marks the second time this series that he has been able to knock down four or more shots from deep. In the series more than half of the field goals Harden has attempted have come from three and with Kyrie Irving struggling to get going in Boston, Harden could see more scoring opportunities tonight. He is currently shooting just over 46 percent from distance in this series. With the attention that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can draw, he should get enough clean looks tonight to keep that level of efficiency going tonight.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics.
Kawhi Leonard over 30.5 points (-122)
Kawhi Leonard is stepping up to the plate in this series, at least offensively anyways. He is currently averaging a touch over 34 points per game and has been shooting the ball incredibly efficiently. He is making 61 percent of his field goal attempts whilst also making over 44 percent from three and nearly 90 percent from the free throw line. The Mavericks are having trouble containing him despite having good win defenders like Dorian Finney-Smith. However, Leonard is a superstar on the offensive end and has incredible strength for his position. Put that together with a tight handle that allows him to get to his spots with ease and you get a scoring machine. A loss here for the Clippers would leave them facing a 3-1 deficit, so look for Leonard to try and put the team on his back and stop that from happening here.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks.
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