Best player prop bets to consider for Friday's NBA playoff slate
With three more games on tap for Friday's NBA playoff slate, we cover the most intriguing available player prop bets.
Russell Westbrook Over/Under 24.5 points
Westbrook is coming off a rough Game 2 performance in which he went 5-for-20 from the floor and 1-for-6 from deep, scoring just 14 points, and finishing -27 on the court. The best part about backing players to rebound in the NBA is they can up their usage and shoot their way out of a slump. Westbrook certainly has done that in the past, averaging 27.8 points in his last seven games following a performance in which he scored fewer than 15.
With the Thunder back at home in an 0-2 hole, it's not a terrible idea to take a look at Westbrook's point total.
Kyrie Irving Over/Under 35.5 points + rebounds + assists
Game 2 between the Pacers and Celtics was the Irving show. Boston's point guard went off for 37 points, seven assists, and six rebounds to help his club take a 2-0 series lead.
It was unconventional to watch Indiana bend the knee - the Pacers only allow 20.9 points to opposing point guards this season, which ranks No. 1 in the NBA. How Irving fares on the road could make it a different story this time around, seeing as the Pacers are the NBA's top scoring defense at home.
Nikola Vucevic Over/Under 29.5 points + rebounds
Vucevic is a double-double machine, averaging 20.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per game this season. So it's crazy to think the Magic got the win in Game 1 despite their star big man contributing just 11 points and eight boards. He's struggled against Toronto in the series, combining for 17 points and 14 rebounds over the first two games. In fact, he's been held to under 29 combined points and rebounds in each of the previous three meetings with the Raptors.
Domantas Sabonis Over/Under 22.5 points + rebounds + assists
Sabonis is the type of player who can spark the Pacers in a variety of ways, but Indiana has gotten little from the 22-year-old in the first-round series so far. Boston has held Sabonis to four points and seven rebounds per game over the first two contests, well below the forward's averages of 14.9 and 9.3, respectively.
Role players such as Sabonis typically fare better at home than they do on the road, and over the previous six home games, he is averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
Jerami Grant Over/Under 1.5 3-pointers made
Speaking of players who might perform better at home, Grant's player prop on 3-point field goals made might be your best bet. The Thunder come into Game 3 ice-cold from deep, having converted just 11 of their 61 attempts over their first two games of the series against the Trail Blazers.
The small forward didn't make a single one of his eight attempts spanning the first two contests, but he's Oklahoma City's best 3-point shooter at 39.2 percent.
He's the type of player that can take some pressure off Westbrook and Paul George by getting hot from deep.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.