We’re discussing a starting five of NBA Playoff prop picks among Tuesday night’s three contests. The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers are up 1-0 in their respective series.
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Tuesday NBA Playoff Player Props & Picks
Dejounte Murray (+7.5 Points) vs. Jaylen Brown
We know how productive Brown can be – he scored 29 points on 12 of 23 shooting on Saturday. Murray delivered 24 points though, and did so in spite of a less efficient 10 of 25 from the field.
Brown is more efficient and handles a larger usage rate. However, 7.5 points is too many to ignore for a player who will be the Hawks’ 1B to Trae Young.
Donovan Mitchell Under 32.5 Points
Mitchell attempted 30 shots compared to a combined 26 from Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. It’s not that Mitchell isn’t a player to warrant such a voluminous shot load. But perhaps a bit more balance will do the Cavs some good.
Mobley only averaged 12 shots per game during the regular season, so he’s not necessarily due for a significant uptick. Garland, however, averaged 16.4 attempts. It’s a lot to ask one player to win a series. Look for the Cavs to let Mitchell’s running mates pick up some of the load.
RJ Barrett Under 17.5 Points
Barrett is scuffling a bit of late. He finished 2 of 12 in Game 1 after shooting 41% across his final five games heading into the playoffs. We won’t call the 12 shot attempts alarming, but it’s certainly a number we’re anchored to in this spot.
The Cavs finished the regular season as the league’s most efficient defense. So, on paper, this isn’t a “get right” spot for Barrett. Considering Barrett’s recent struggles, it won’t be a surprise to see the Knicks continue to lean on Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson.
Russell Westbrook Over 14.5 Assists + Rebounds
Westbrook had his fingerprints all over Game 1 with big play after big play. He will need to continue contributing outside of scoring – he finished with nine points on 3 of 19 shooting.
We’re confident in Westbrook continuing to impact the game in spite of his atrocious scoring efficiency. He averaged 5.8 boards and 9.1 assists per 36 minutes as a Clipper, and bettors should anticipate another hefty minute load for Brodie on Tuesday night. He logged 36 minutes on Sunday night.
Kawhi Leonard (-0.5 Points) vs. Kevin Durant
“Playoff Kawhi” is one of the few players in the league who can stand toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant in a series. He put his machine-like efficiency on display in Game 1 with 38 points on 24 shots.
Leonard is remarkably efficient on high volume. He averaged 25.8 points on a 50.0/43.3/88.9 shooting line across his final five regular-season starts. Leonard will handle another heavy load in Game 2. Durant, meanwhile, may be the game’s best pure scorer, but he also has a lot of help around him and doesn’t have to carry the scoring load the same way Leonard does.
Note: Odds and lines for NBA playoff player props and games. Be sure to check the best NBA betting sites for the most up-to-date numbers before finalizing your wager(s).
