The first round of the NBA Playoffs is reaching its final stage, with one more order of business to be settled: the Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves series, with Memphis holding a 3-2 lead and Game 6 set for Friday night in Minnesota. For a matchup featuring the league’s two top offenses from the regular season, sportsbooks such as DraftKings and FanDuel are dealing out a wide selection of player props.
We came up with a few props bets that are worth considering, including a same-game parlay with a healthy potential payout.
Grizzlies vs. Wolves Game 6 Lines (MEM leads 3-2)
Ja Morant gave the basketball world a stellar performance in Game 5 that goes beyond just his stat line. He posted a near-triple-double with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists, but fans are buzzing about his highlights. Morant threw down one of the most ferocious posters of the entire year at the end of the third quarter, then one-upped himself by hitting an acrobatic layup with one tick remaining to win the game and take a 3-2 series lead.
This angle of Ja Morant’s ridiculous dunk 👀pic.twitter.com/iu0xWfx6UM
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 27, 2022
An incredible layup by Ja Morant gives Memphis the win and a 3-2 series lead! pic.twitter.com/eoN4OVadFu
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) April 27, 2022
The Grizzlies have their sights set on Golden State in the next round with a win at Minnesota in Game 6, while the T-Wolves aim to push the series one more game. The Grizzlies are short favorites to close out the series on the road.
NBA · Fri (4/29) @ 9:16pm ET
| MEM Grizzlies | at | MIN Timberwolves |
| Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | ||
Grizzlies vs. Wolves Game 6 Player Props
D’Angelo Russell ‘Under’ 16.5 Points (-120, DraftKings)
D’Angelo Russell has been a shell of himself in this series, averaging just 13 points on an abysmal 32.3% shooting from the field, both of which are well below his regular-season averages.
DLo has gotten 17-plus points in a game just once in the series, an anomalous 22-point night in Game 3, where he made nine shots (five more than his next most) on 21 tries (nine more than his next most). He hasn’t been able to duplicate that kind of volume and productivity in any other game this series, with the rest of his performances all falling between 10-12 shots and 10-12 points per game.
Jarred Vanderbilt ‘Over’ 7.5 Rebounds (-140, DraftKings)
Jarred Vanderbilt played a total of 27 minutes and 43 seconds in the series’ first two games, hitting only one shot and scoring three points, but he clearly did enough on the glass to impress Wolves head coach Chris Finch (10.4 boards per 36 minutes) and consequently earn dramatically more minutes in the next three games.
The 6-foot-9 power forward has been making the most of his starter’s minutes. He brought down 31 rebounds over his last three contests (10.3 per game), with the fewest being eight in Game 4.
His rebounding floor, since earning starter’s minutes, has exceeded that of his rebounding over/under total, always a promising stat when betting on props.
Same-Game Parlay: Karl-Anthony Towns ‘Yes’ Double-Double; Ja Morant 1+ Steals; Desmond Bane 2+ Blocks (+1100, DraftKings)
Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 11 rebounds in the series, and he has recorded a double-double in four of five contests. His one game without a double-double was his worst game of the entire season, as he looked completely disengaged (four shots and five rebounds).
Ja Morant has stolen the ball at least one time in all five games of the series (eight steals total). Getting one-plus steals in Game 6 appears to be low-hanging fruit.
Desmond Bane has played much bigger than his 6-foot-5 stature against Minnesota. He averages the second-most blocks per game on the team with 1.2, behind only (of course) Jaren Jackson Jr. He has blocked two-plus shots in two of five games. Is it likely that he records two blocks in Game 6? No, but it’s worth a small investment.
Bettors should be aware that the sportsbook’s edge is generally higher with same-game parlays. Throwing a couple of dollars down for a potentially large payout, though, can make for a fun Friday night sweat.
About the Author
