Andrew Ortenberg
NBA
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The NBA playoffs are officially in full swing, and it’s been hard to complain about the action we’ve seen so far. There have been plenty of thrills, and we’ve got a solid two-game slate on Tuesday as the Hawks and 76ers continue their second-round series while the Clippers and Jazz kickoff theirs. It’s a lot to unpack, and there are a plethora of wagers to make. We’ve got tons of great content for the playoffs, including same game parlays, mega parlays, and picks on the side and total for every single matchup. But right now we’re going to talk about one of my favorite props, first-basket bets. Let’s dive into my favorite such plays for Tuesday, including Donovan Mitchell.
Hawks @ 76ers – Trae Young +600
Clippers @ Jazz – Donovan Mitchell +500
Let’s break ’em down one by one:
Hawks @ 76ers – Trae Young +600
Young already cashed one of these for us at +600 last round, and he can do it again here. Oddsmakers continue to treat the 76ers as a big favorite to score first, and I’m not sure why. Joel Embiid is +380 and Ben Simmons is +550, while Young has the lowest odds of any Hawks player at +600. Clint Capela and Joel Embiid faced off three times in the regular season, and Capela won the tip twice. Then in the first game of this series, Capela won the tip again. With Embiid nursing a knee injury, I don’t think he’s going to be going all out for this tip either. Young took 23 shots in Game 1, the most of any player on either team. He played in two games against the 76ers during the regular season, and he made Atlanta’s first shot both times.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Atlanta Hawks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Clippers @ Jazz – Donovan Mitchell +500
Mitchell is back. After returning to the floor in Game 2 of Utah’s series against Memphis following a lengthy absence due to an ankle injury, Mitchell hit the ground running. He scored at least 25 points in each of his four games, despite playing only 30 minutes or fewer in three of them. He took Utah’s first shot in the final two games, and I expect that to be the case again here. The last time these teams played during the regular season, Mitchell had 35 points, took 27 shots, and took the first shot of the game.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Los Angeles Clippers vs. Utah Jazz
Parlay odds: +4100
Just for fun, I’ll be sprinkling a few bucks on a parlay of both of these. It’ll pay out at 41/1 at FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s the playoffs, why not celebrate by going for the jackpot?
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