Wednesday’s two-game slate of NBA playoff games features a pair of teams in position to close out their series. The Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors hold 3-1 series leads over the Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets, respectively, and are both heavy favorites at sportsbooks to finish off their opponents and move on to the conference semifinals. Here we look at NBA player props offered at DraftKings and FanDuel.
Player Props for Wednesday’s NBA Playoffs
Bulls vs. Bucks Player Props
Giannis Antetokounmpo Under 33.5 Points (-110, DraftKings)
Giannis and Co. are in a good spot, heading home to Milwaukee with a chance to finish off the Bulls. While Giannis will continue to dominate usage, he’s averaging a modest 18.3 shots per game in this series. That total climbs to 20.3 if you forgive his 12-shot Game 3 in which the Bucks won by 30. The issue with betting on a gaudy scoring total from Giannis is his overwhelming reliance on two-point shots. He’s shooting 2-for-12 from beyond the arc and 65.2% from the charity stripe.
Giannis may stack his plate higher in a closeout spot, but he’s distributed seven-plus assists in his last three games. So, while he may attempt an extra shot or two, it’s not a bad idea to bet on a balanced performance as opposed to monster scoring output.
DeMar DeRozan Under 29.5 Points (-114, FanDuel)
Our reasons for the ‘under’ in this spot for DeRozan are similar to why we’re leaning ‘under’ on points for Antetokounmpo. DeRozan is 0-for-9 from three-point range this series, and he’s struggled with his efficiency on two-point attempts (40%).
It’s just going to take so many shots and so much effort for DeRozan to reach 30 points. He will likely see a large volume of attempts, but it may not be enough with the way the Bucks have been able to harass him. Odds are against another performance on par with Game 2, in which DeRozan went off for 41 points.
Nuggets vs. Warriors Player Props
Stephen Curry Over 27.5 Points (-110, FanDuel)
The Warriors have gradually ramped up Curry’s playing time following his return from a lengthy absence to conclude the regular season. His minutes have increased in each game, and his shot attempts have been on an upward trajectory as well. All the while he’s dominated usage when on the floor.
We like the ‘over’ in Wednesday’s Game 5, given Curry’s efficiency and proficiency from all scoring areas and his increasing minutes. It’s not unreasonable to expect him to come out hunting his shot a little bit more as he does his part to eliminate the Nuggets.
Also read: Odds to win NBA Championship | Celtics Open As Series Favorites vs. Bucks
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