Following a couple of Game 7s last night, the opening round of the NBA Playoffs has concluded. We are going straight into the conference semifinals, as the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs look to continue their playoff runs. You can check out all of our NBA picks for tonight’s matchups and every game throughout the postseason. But first, let’s get into my best NBA player prop bets for each of tonight’s games below.
Best NBA player prop bet: Paul George (PHI) over 2.5 made threes (+115)
Paul George has been incredibly consistent of late from beyond the arc for the Philadelphia 76ers. He closed out the series against the Boston Celtics by averaging 3.1 three-pointers per game on 55% shooting from deep. It has helped him hit the over on this line in each of his last 5 games, too. With Joel Embiid back in the lineup and forcing defenders to collapse the paint, those opportunities should continue to be there for the 76ers’ wing.
Embiid is averaging 7 assists this postseason and has shown a willingness to find his shooters on the perimeter. Among playoff teams, the Knicks rank 11th out of 16 in opponent three-point attempts during the postseason. With the efficiency George has been attacking with, expect him to continue his good form from deep.
Read our full 76ers vs Knicks prediction for tonight’s Game 1
NBA player prop bet: Mike Conley (MIN) under 5.5 points (-125)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley had his highest-scoring game of the postseason in Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets, managing 7 points. It was his only postseason appearance in which he scored 6 or more. With Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu both in with a chance of coming back from injury, Conley could see his minutes limited.
The Spurs are a terrible matchup for him, too. In 3 games against them this season, he is averaging just 3 points per game. His direct opponents like Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are far more athletic than the veteran and will look to exploit his defensive shortcomings. When healthy, the Timberwolves only chose to use Conley for 16 combined minutes in their first 3 games against the Nuggets, and could now be well placed to reduce his minutes once again.
Lock in our expert’s Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1 prediction
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