The best words in sports: Game 7. Luckily for fans and bettors, there’s 2 of them on Sunday in the NBA. RJ Barrett saved the Raptors season in Game 6 with a Kawhi Leonard-esque bounce on a three-pointer, while the Magic failed to close out the Pistons at home after scoring just 19 points in the second half — the fewest in playoff history. Let’s dive into my best NBA player prop bets for Sunday, May 3, while you can also find out our expert NBA picks for today’s matchups and EVERY game throughout the postseason.
NBA player prop: Max Strus (CLE) under 15.5 pts/rebs/asts (-124)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing
The Cavaliers’ regular-season disappointment has carried over into the first round of the playoffs. They now face elimination at home against a Raptors team that won 30 games last season. Game 7 means a tighter rotation and a slower pace – which I’m expecting to factor into Max Strus’ playing time come Sunday. Strus played just the opening 6 minutes of the second half in Game 6 and didn’t return. A combination of Dennis Schröder and Dean Wade closed the game for Cleveland. Wade is someone I expect to be a major factor in this game, as his defense has been exceptional against the Raptors wings.
NBA player prop: Dean Wade (CLE) over 4.5 points (-105)
Odds available at BetMGM Sportsbook at time of publishing
I spoke briefly about Dean Wade’s impact this series on the defensive end, which has led to increased playing time for Wade. He played a series-high 28 minutes and was a +10, which was 2nd-best on the team in Game 6. He closed out the game, while starter Max Strus sat on the bench, and his shot volume is enough to at least reach 5 points.
Now read our full Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 7 prediction
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