The NBA playoffs are upon us. All 16 postseason squads have played their first game, and we’ll have three Game 2s to choose from on Monday. The action gets underway with the 76ers vs. the Raptors at 7:30 p.m. ET, and we have the top five NBA props within this slate.
While the stakes have changed for the teams on the court, the goal from our perspective has not: help you make money. Throughout the playoffs, Props.com will present our top NBA props selections from the day’s action, then do what we do best: Provide in-depth analysis that you can choose to use (or not use!) for wagering purposes.
With that, let’s dive into our favorite NBA Props from Monday’s three-game slate.
Philadelphia 76ers: PG Tyrese Maxey
The prop: 3.5 assists (vs. Toronto)
The odds: Over -105/Under -130
Maxey is coming off a phenomenal start to the postseason. He’s sharing the court with two MVP-caliber players in Joel Embiid and James Harden, but Maxey still led the team with 38 points.
Harden did most of the work as a distributor in Game 1, racking up 14 assists to Maxey’s two, but Maxey has room for growth in Game 2. Maxey has the potential to play more than 40 minutes, and he’s averaged 4.4 assists per 36 minutes this season. His assist rate has decreased since Harden arrived in Philly, but he’s still racked up at least four assists in five of his past nine games.
Editor’s Note: New to NBA player props? Check out our complete NBA Prop Betting Guide to get up to speed!
Toronto Raptors: PG Fred VanVleet
The prop: 3.5 made 3-pointers (at Philadelphia)
The odds: Over +105/Under -140
Things are not looking good at the moment for the Raptors’ backcourt. Scottie Barnes has already been ruled out with an ankle injury, and fellow shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. is doubtful with an illness. Even power forward Thaddeus Young is doubtful, so the Raptors — already down 0-1 to the Sixers — are very shorthanded heading into Game 2.
That means point guard Fred VanVleet will likely have to take on an even larger workload than usual.
VanVleet was tied with teammate Pascal Siakam for third-most minutes per game this season, so he should easily clear 40 minutes if Monday’s game is competitive. That means a steady diet of 3-point attempts. VanVleet averaged 9.9 attempts per game from beyond the arc this season, and he’s made 37.7 percent of them. Overall, he’s knocked down at least four triples in 34 of 66 games, including Saturday’s Game 1 in Philly.
With Barnes and Trent off the floor this season, VanVleet increased his output to 10.3 attempts from deep per 36 minutes played. Love the Over in this spot.
Unfortunately, VanVleet’s 3-point prop is currently available on Underdog. You’ll have to settle for the over on 20.5 points, which also has plenty of merit. He’s averaged 24.3 points per 36 minutes with Barnes and Trent off the court.
Related: Jim Barnes breaks down the betting action and odds for Philadelphia-Toronto Game 2. Where are the sharp bets landing?
Utah Jazz: C Rudy Gobert
The prop: 13.5 points (vs. Dallas)
The odds: Over -130/Under +100
Gobert managed just five points in Game 1 vs. the Mavericks, making this an excellent buy-low opportunity. Gobert isn’t exactly a scoring maven, but he’s still averaged 15.6 points per game this season. He also racked up at least 14 points in each of his previous six games.
Let’s not overthink this one, look towards Gobert to chip in 14-plus points in Game 2 against the Mavs.
Golden State Warriors: PG Jordan Poole
The prop: 22.5 points (vs. Denver)
The odds: Over -115/Under -115
Poole turned in one of the most impressive postseason debuts in recent memory in Game 1 vs. the Nuggets. He scored 30 points on just 13 shots, shooting a hyper-efficient 69.2 percent from the field and 71.4 percent from 3-point range. He was also incredibly productive over his final 20 regular-season contests, averaging 25.4 points per game.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that virtually all of that production has come without Steph Curry. Curry returned in the Warriors’ last game, but he was limited to just 21.7 minutes off the bench. As good as Poole has been, he’s not going to supplant the two-time MVP. As Curry’s playing time gets ramped up, Poole’s scoring production is going to decrease. His usage rate has decreased by -6.3 percent when sharing the floor with Curry, and he’s averaged just 18.2 points per 36 minutes in that situation.
It’s time to sell high on Poole. The regression is coming, and I’d rather be early than late. This is one of the better NBA player props for Monday.
Denver Nuggets: C Nikola Jokic
The prop: 21.5 rebounds + assists (at Golden State)
The odds: Over -110/Under -125
There is nothing that Jokic cannot do on a basketball court. He’s expected to take home his second-consecutive MVP award, and he has done absolutely everything for the Nuggets this season. The team has been great when he’s been on the floor, outscoring opponents by an average of +8.3 points per 100 possessions, but they’ve been outscored by -8.2 points per 100 possessions when he sits. That’s remarkable.
From a statistical standpoint, Jokic is one of the best in the business at gobbling up peripherals. He averaged 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists this season in an average of just 33.5 minutes per game. Jokic should see more minutes during the postseason, so he should be able to improve on those averages. I like his chances of making that happen in Game 2 at Golden State.