The Nuggets look to conclude the NBA Finals in five games and win their first championship in front of their home fans tonight in Denver. The Heat haven’t faced this big of a hole during their incredible playoff run, but they are resilient and are sure not to go down without a fight. With this possibly being the last hurrah for this NBA season, check out the best player prop and first basket bets for Game 5 of the Heat vs. Nuggets NBA Finals.
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Heat vs. Nuggets First Basket Odds + More Player Prop Bets
Although Denver is on the verge of a gentleman’s sweep, Miami has its own gentleman’s sweep brewing in the jump ball category. Thanks to Bam Adebayo, the Heat secured the opening jump ball in all but one game in this series, and that was thanks to a stolen tip, not Nikola Jokic beating Adebayo to the ball.
Here are the first basket odds on the top sports betting apps for Game 5.
| Player | DraftKings | FanDuel | Caesars (Code 'TODAYFULL') |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | +370 | +350 | +390 |
| Bam Adebayo | +500 | +600 | +400 |
| Jamal Murray | +550 | +600 | +550 |
| Jimmy Butler | +600 | +650 | +750 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | +900 | +950 | +900 |
| Aaron Gordon | +950 | +750 | +750 |
| Gabe Vincent | +1000 | +1300 | +1200 |
| Max Strus | +1100 | +850 | +900 |
Not only has Adebayo been securing the opening tip, but he has put the ball in the basket first in two of the four games so far. In Game 2, he also took the first shot and missed, which allowed Max Strus to score first. One way or another, the ball is finding Adebayo to start the game, and he is doing a great job of getting the Heat on the board early. Additionally, a focal point of Miami’s offense in this series is keeping Jokic in the defensive action.
The Heat create their best shots as a team when Jokic is forced to defend the high pick-and-roll. They go to it early and often to keep pace with Denver’s early scoring runs and to try to get Jokic into foul trouble. That sets up Adebayo well to secure his third first basket of the series in Game 5.
Best Player Prop Bets for Heat vs. Nuggets Game 5 on Monday
The Heat seemingly found a way to slow down Jokic and Jamal Murray in Game 4 but were still unable to take advantage of it due to their offensive woes. The performances Miami received from players not named Adebayo and Jimmy Butler in the previous series have not transferred to the Finals. Missing a 20-point per game scorer in Tyler Herro, if Miami is to avoid the end of its season tonight, the team needs players like Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin to bring their A-games once again.
Jimmy Butler Over 6.5 Assists (+106 on FanDuel)
Butler, although not the point guard for the Heat, is the primary playmaker for his team. His drive and kicks are the best chance they have at creating decent looks for his teammates, thanks to their lack of star power. Butler has dished out seven-plus assists in all but one game of the series so far. The more aggressive he is, the more attention he gets.
With the Heat’s season now officially on the line, it’s likely he will be more assertive, which will draw in additional help from the Nuggets defense. Look for his teammates to reward Butler for his efforts with their backs against the wall as they look to extend the series another game.
Jamal Murray to Record a Double-Double (+146 on Caesars)
Murray became the first player in NBA history to dish out 10-plus assists in each of his first four NBA Finals games. He averaged only six assists in the regular season, so this isn’t a normal occurrence for him. He is racking up assists for three distinct reasons – the Heat’s defensive strategy against Jokic, the Nuggets’ consistent use of the pick-and-roll to generate offense, and a significant increase in minutes played per game.
Murray is controlling the ball at a clip he hasn’t since he joined the Nuggets, and it is paying off in a way that is helping them dominate the series. Whether Mike Malone draws it up on the clipboard or Murray takes matters into his own hands, he is finding his teammates for high-quality looks from deep and inside the paint, and they are knocking them down at an efficient clip.
Caleb Martin Over 10.5 Points (+100 on DraftKings)
Caleb Martin came within just a vote or two of winning the Eastern Conference MVP Award in the last round. Since then, he has been average to subpar in the four Finals games played already. However, he has been on a slow uptick as the Heat desperately search for points to try and steal another game.
After starting the series with back-to-back three-point outings, he has responded with 10- and 11-point performances. He is getting more minutes and more attempts, and in the high-stakes moments the Heat have faced to this point, he has shown up. Look for him to do the same tonight and cash the Over on this points prop.
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