The Prop Report is back in action for the duration of the NBA Playoffs! Identifying edges in the NBA betting market can be tough, which is why OddsShopper and the NBA Player Props Tool at Awesemo.com are here to help. This article focuses on my favorite NBA prop bets and NBA betting picks for tonight’s three Game 2s and which sportsbook offers the best odds for them.
The Prop Report: Top NBA Prop Bets | May 26
*Click on the images below to go to OddsShopper*
NBA Prop Bet No. 1: Trae Young UNDER 26.5 Points (-122)
Young was sensational against the Knicks in Game 1, scoring 32 points and hitting the game winner to hush the Madison Square Garden crowd. It is going to be rocking in that historic building again tonight, and there is no doubt Young is aiming for a repeat performance in Game 2. The Knicks, however, will be all in on making sure that doesn’t happen, as their stout defensive front is no doubt going to target in on slowing Young down at all costs.
New York also played at the league’s slowest pace during the regular season, so there might be a below-average number of possessions for the Hawks in this game as is. And while Young averaged 25.4 points per game this season, his scoring outlook should be 3 or 4 points lower than this 26.5 number across the industry. That is why Awesemo’s projections list the under on this prop as having an 81% expected return on investment, making it the best bet on the board this evening.
NBA Prop Bet No. 2: Donovan Mitchell UNDER 25.5 Points (-105)
Here is another under on points to target for a star guard, but for completely different reasons. Mitchell would most likely burn Salt Lake City to the ground if the trainers were to hold him out of Game 2 with his ankle injury, so there is no doubt he is going to appear tonight. But considering he hasn’t played in a game since April 16, it is impossible to know not only how effective he will be, but how many minutes the Jazz will allow him to play. There are simply too many unknowns surrounding him not to have a ton of interest in shorting 25.5 points in this spot, especially because it’s less than a point off his season average of 26.4. And as a nice little bonus, the odds are better than the prototypical -110 to make this wager, so get at least a unit on the under for this NBA betting pick.
NBA Prop Bet No. 3: Jaren Jackson Jr. OVER 11.5 Points (-120)
Jackson has been a frustrating DFS roster for the past few weeks, as the 30-plus minutes a night it seemed he was getting towards the end of the regular season has not continued in the playoffs. But even though he has only played 15 and 24 minutes in the Grizzlies’ past two postseason games, it has largely been a product of foul trouble. That is his bugaboo, as the 5.9 fouls per 36 he averages can come up to bite bettors at any moment.
But the real reason this number is too low — besides the fact he’s averaging 13.2 points on the season — is that he has shot the ball atrociously the past two games, going a combined 21.4% from the field (3-for-14). That is due for some positive regression, and as soon as his jumper starts falling, Jackson is going to blow past this 11.5 number with ease. That makes this yet another advantageous points prop, and this time, the pick is the over.
Thanks for reading to the end of this article! If you appreciate this free content and want to see more of it every day, you can help us out by sharing this article on social media!
Check out Stokastic's Best Bets home page for more sports betting picks and predictions.
