The Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks pulled off in their road Game 1s on Monday night, and yet they are both sizable underdogs in their respective Game 2 clashes on Wednesday.
New York kicks off the action on Wednesday as a 10.5-point underdog against the Boston Celtics, but it was stifling defense (44 points allowed in the second half and overtime) that helped the Knicks take Game 1 in Boston.
Can the Knicks hang on again in Game 2 against the defending champs? While I am not betting a side in this game, I do have a pair of player props to consider, including one for guard Jalen Brunson after he scored 29 points in Game 1.
Out West, Denver is aiming to steal another game against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who wilted down the stretch to lose on an Aaron Gordon 3-ball in the final seconds.
It just so happens that tonight is a prop night, because I’m backing All-NBA center Nikola Jokic after he dominated the Thunder in Game 1 with 42 points and 22 rebounds.
These Game 2s mean a ton to the home teams, as they are top two favorites to win the NBA Finals. Here’s a breakdown of my best bets for Wednesday night’s playoff action.
NBA Best Bets Record to Date2024-25 season record: 246-241-4 (-5.86 units)OVERALL (since 2021-22 season): 1256-1186-26 (+32.23 units)
NBA Best Bets TodayJayson Tatum OVER 9.5 Rebounds (-115) – 0.5 unitJalen Brunson OVER 26.5 Points (-120) – 0.5 unitNikola Jokic OVER 21.5 Rebounds and Assists (-125) – 0.5 unitJayson Tatum OVER 9.5 Rebounds (-115) – 0.5 unit
Jayson Tatum struggled shooting the ball for Boston in Game 1, hitting just 7-of-23 shots from the field, but he still finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds and six assists.
I’m eyeing Tatum’s rebounds prop in Game 2, as he’s finished with 10 or more boards in three of his five games this postseason, averaging 12.2 boards per contest.
The C’s star is averaging 17.6 rebound chances per night, giving him a solid floor to clear this prop. With Boston putting Tatum on Karl-Anthony Towns defensively, there are going to be plenty of times where he is positioned in the painted area to clear the glass.
After averaging 9.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs last season and 10.5 rebounds per game in the playoffs the season before, Tatum is a solid bet to be right around this number in Game 2.
Jalen Brunson OVER 26.5 Points (-120) – 0.5 unit
Night after night, Jalen Brunson hits big shots for the Knicks, and he is averaging 31.1 points per game in the playoffs.
Entering Game 1, Brunson had actually fared pretty well against Boston’s top defenders in the regular season, shooting 10-for-17 against Jaylen Brown, 6-for-13 against Jrue Holiday and 3-for-4 against Tatum, per NBA.com’s tracking data.
Brunson didn’t have his best game in Game 1 – although he did hit 5-of-9 shots from 3 – and he still finished with 29 points for the Knicks. The star guard has at least 20 shot attempts in six of his seven playoff games, and he’s been an elite playoff performer for New York, averaging 27.8 points per game in the playoffs two seasons ago and 32.4 points per game in the playoffs last season.
He’s undervalued at this number in Game 2.
Nikola Jokic OVER 21.5 Rebounds and Assists (-125) – 0.5 unit
In Game 1 against OKC, Jokic only needed rebounds (he had 22) to clear this prop line, so why not take a shot on his rebounds and assists prop in Game 2?
During the regular season, Jokic had 22 or more rebounds and assists in every game against the Thunder, and he built on that with 22 boards and six dimes in Game 1. While the passing wasn’t at its usual level for the three-time league MVP, Jokic made up for it by dominating on the glass.
I expect that to continue, as the Thunder are 10th amongst all playoff teams in rebounding percentage and finished the regular season at 20th in the league in opponent rebounds per game. Jokic has torched OKC on the glass in five meetings this season, grabbing 12 or more boards in every game, including three games with 18 or more rebounds.
