Jordan Horrobin, Author at The Boost

Best NBA playoff prop bets April 26: Bet on Davion Mitchell, Jamal Murray to shine

Coming off strong outings, Jamal Murray and Davion Mitchell are two of my three NBA prop targets for Saturday’s playoff slate.

The pregame narrative: Murray and Mitchell are both solid options to clear their points/assists props tonight, which they’ve been making a habit of recently. On a more negative note, Fred VanVleet is worth a fade amid some truly nightmarish shooting performances.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for first-round playoff action on April 26.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Mitchell over 17.5 points/assists (-130)

Mitchell has earned himself a nice raise this offseason, as the restricted-free-agent-to-be is putting up some sweet postseason numbers.

Game 1: 18 pts (8-of-12 shooting), nine assists

Game 2: 18 points (7-of-9 shooting), six assists

Here we have a situation where the fourth-year guard has cashed this bet with his scoring production alone.

Combine that with the fact that he’s acting as the team’s primary facilitator, and we’ve got something cooking here.

Mitchell is averaging 19.0 potential assists per game through two playoff matchups. That’s second in the NBA behind only Nikola Jokic. He also leads the Heat in passes made and received.

Since March 23, Mitchell has cashed this bet in 10 of 13 games.

Key stat: In three games against Cleveland since the beginning of March, Mitchell has averaged 15.0 points and 7.3 assists.

Best NBA picks

VanVleet under 12.5 points (-118): I’ve already touted this pick elsewhere, but in case you missed it, I think it’s worth repeating for emphasis.

VanVleet is 6-for-27 from the floor in this series, totalling just 17 points and finishing under this total in both games.

Last time out, the Rockets won by 15 points in a game where VanVleet had seven points on eight shots. So it’s not like they need him to succeed.

In his final 20 games of the regular season, VanVleet averaged 11.7 PPG on 34.2% shooting. Woof.

Also, he’s gone under 12.5 points in five of six games against the Warriors this season, finishing at exactly 13 points in the outlier.

Murray over 27.5 points/assists (-118): I targeted Murray on this prop market in Game 3, and he cashed it despite Denver’s overall struggles.

Murray had 23 of the Nuggets’ 83 points, and he added four assists as well. He’s 2-1 against this line so far in this series.

It’s no secret that Nikola Jokic steers the ship for the Nuggets, but Murray is a competent co-pilot who should continue to be relied upon for significant minutes and offensive production.

Murray is 4-3 vs. this line when facing the Clippers this season, averaging 27.0 PA in those matchups.

NBA prop picks made at 10:55 a.m. ET on 04/26/2025.

Best NBA playoff prop bets April 26: Bet on Davion Mitchell, Jamal Murray to shine

Coming off strong outings, Jamal Murray and Davion Mitchell are two of my three NBA prop targets for Saturday’s playoff slate.

The pregame narrative: Murray and Mitchell are both solid options to clear their points/assists props tonight, which they’ve been making a habit of recently. On a more negative note, Fred VanVleet is worth a fade amid some truly nightmarish shooting performances.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for first-round playoff action on April 26.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: Mitchell over 17.5 points/assists (-121)

Mitchell has earned himself a nice raise this offseason, as the restricted-free-agent-to-be is putting up some sweet postseason numbers.

Game 1: 18 pts (8-of-12 shooting), nine assists

Game 2: 18 points (7-of-9 shooting), six assists

Here we have a situation where the fourth-year guard has cashed this bet with his scoring production alone.

Combine that with the fact that he’s acting as the team’s primary facilitator, and we’ve got something cooking here.

Mitchell is averaging 19.0 potential assists per game through two playoff matchups. That’s second in the NBA behind only Nikola Jokic. He also leads the Heat in passes made and received.

Since March 23, Mitchell has cashed this bet in 10 of 13 games.

Key stat: In three games against Cleveland since the beginning of March, Mitchell has averaged 15.0 points and 7.3 assists.

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Best NBA picks

VanVleet under 12.5 points (-108): I’ve already touted this pick elsewhere, but in case you missed it, I think it’s worth repeating for emphasis.

VanVleet is 6-for-27 from the floor in this series, totalling just 17 points and finishing under this total in both games.

Last time out, the Rockets won by 15 points in a game where VanVleet had seven points on eight shots. So it’s not like they need him to succeed.

In his final 20 games of the regular season, VanVleet averaged 11.7 PPG on 34.2% shooting. Woof.

Also, he’s gone under 12.5 points in five of six games against the Warriors this season, finishing at exactly 13 points in the outlier.

Murray over 26.5 points/assists (-118): I targeted Murray on this prop market in Game 3, and he cashed it despite Denver’s overall struggles.

Murray had 23 of the Nuggets’ 83 points, and he added four assists as well. He’s 3-0 against this line so far in this series.

It’s no secret that Nikola Jokic steers the ship for the Nuggets, but Murray is a competent co-pilot who should continue to be relied upon for significant minutes and offensive production.

Murray is 5-2 vs. this line when facing the Clippers this season, averaging 27.0 PA in those matchups.

NBA prop picks made at 9:55 a.m. ET on 04/26/2025.

Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks Game 3: Fade VanVleet, bet on Sengun to star for Houston

Even at one game apiece, the first-round series between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors shifts to the Bay Area.

The pregame narrative: My eyes are on a pair of prop bets for the visiting Rockets, who’ve gotten frustratingly little from money vacuum Fred VanVleet. I’m fading VanVleet and looking for another solid game from Alperen Sengun.

Check out my Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks for Game 3 of the opening round.

Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks

Best Bet: VanVleet under 12.5 points (-118)

Here’s a thought: Maybe it’s time the Rockets ask VanVleet to stop shooting.

Giving the ex-Raptor a max contract in the summer of 2023 was clearly a mistake, but the Rockets don’t have a time machine to change that. What they can do is take the ball out of the hands of someone who was arguably the worst shooter in the NBA this season.

Among players who played at least 20 games and attempted 10-plus shots per game, VanVleet was second-last in field goal percentage (37.8%, ahead of only Portland’s Jerami Grant).

VanVleet’s 14.1 PPG scoring average was his lowest since 2018-19, when he was only a part-time starter on the Raptors’ championship squad.

Battling an ankle injury in the latter half of the season, VanVleet’s scoring production really dipped over his final 20 games:

11.7 PPG
34.2 FG%
Under 12.5 pts in 11 of 20

And it’s not like his postseason efforts have righted the ship.

Through two matchups against Golden State, VanVleet is 6-for-27 from the floor (3-for-20 from deep) for a grand total of 17 points.

He had seven points on eight shots last time out, a game Houston won by 15. It seems like the team’s offence is better off without him.

Key stat: In six games against the Warriors this season, VanVleet has averaged 8.7 PPG on 22.4% shooting. He scored 13 points in one of those matchups and cashed this under in the other five.

Game 3 prop prediction

Sengun over 29.5 points/rebounds (-112): I took Sengun’s over at 30.5 points/rebounds in Game 2, and he responded with 17 points and 16 boards.

He has now cashed this bet in four of his past five games against the Warriors.

I really don’t understand why his PR line would be a tick lower for Game 3, but I’ll just bet it instead of asking questions.

The Warriors may be forced into fewer small-ball lineups if Jimmy Butler (pelvis) is unable to play. But I still expect Houston to run a significant portion of its offence through its 6-foot-11 centre.

In his past five games against Golden State, Sengun has averaged 19.6 points and 12.6 rebounds (32.2 PR).

Draymond Green under 6.5 rebounds (-120): Green is as disruptive as any 6-foot-6 centre could possibly hope to be, but he gives up a ton of size around the rim.

If the Warriors continue to commit to small ball, Green should be well-positioned to grab boards. But that hasn’t turned into big numbers.

Green has played 30+ minutes in both games and finished under 6.5 rebounds both times.

Green is 0-5 vs. this rebounds prop in his past five matchups against the Rockets (since Dec. 11).

If Jimmy Butler (pelvis, questionable) is out, the Warriors might need to shift their strategy and play with more size in the paint (deploying Kevon Looney or Quinten Post, for example).

And if Butler does play, he has enough rebounding prowess to continue to bite into Green’s opportunity. So I just don’t like this number for Green either way.

Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks made at 4:37 p.m. ET 04/25/2025.

Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks Game 3: Fade VanVleet, bet on Sengun to star for Houston

Even at one game apiece, the first-round series between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors shifts to the Bay Area.

The pregame narrative: My eyes are on a pair of prop bets for the visiting Rockets, who’ve gotten frustratingly little from money vacuum Fred VanVleet. I’m fading VanVleet and looking for another solid game from Alperen Sengun.

Check out my Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks for Game 3 of the opening round.

Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks

Best Bet: VanVleet under 12.5 points (-108)

Here’s a thought: Maybe it’s time the Rockets ask VanVleet to stop shooting.

Giving the ex-Raptor a max contract in the summer of 2023 was clearly a mistake, but the Rockets don’t have a time machine to change that. What they can do is take the ball out of the hands of someone who was arguably the worst shooter in the NBA this season.

Among players who played at least 20 games and attempted 10-plus shots per game, VanVleet was second-last in field goal percentage (37.8%, ahead of only Portland’s Jerami Grant).

VanVleet’s 14.1 PPG scoring average was his lowest since 2018-19, when he was only a part-time starter on the Raptors’ championship squad.

Battling an ankle injury in the latter half of the season, VanVleet’s scoring production really dipped over his final 20 games:

11.7 PPG
34.2 FG%
Under 12.5 pts in 11 of 20

And it’s not like his postseason efforts have righted the ship.

Through two matchups against Golden State, VanVleet is 6-for-27 from the floor (3-for-20 from deep) for a grand total of 17 points.

He had seven points on eight shots last time out, a game Houston won by 15. It seems like the team’s offence is better off without him.

Key stat: In six games against the Warriors this season, VanVleet has averaged 8.7 PPG on 22.4% shooting. He scored 13 points in one of those matchups and cashed this under in the other five.

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Game 3 prop prediction

Sengun over 30.5 points/rebounds (-122): I took Sengun’s over at 31.5 points/rebounds in Game 2, and he responded with 17 points and 16 boards.

He has now cashed this bet in four of his past five games against the Warriors.

I really don’t understand why his PR line would be a tick lower for Game 3, but I’ll just bet it instead of asking questions.

The Warriors may be forced into fewer small-ball lineups if Jimmy Butler (pelvis) is unable to play. But I still expect Houston to run a significant portion of its offence through its 6-foot-11 centre.

In his past five games against Golden State, Sengun has averaged 19.6 points and 12.6 rebounds (32.2 PR).

Draymond Green under 6.5 rebounds (-121): Green is as disruptive as any 6-foot-6 centre could possibly hope to be, but he gives up a ton of size around the rim.

If the Warriors continue to commit to small ball, Green should be well-positioned to grab boards. But that hasn’t turned into big numbers.

Green has played 30+ minutes in both games and finished under 6.5 rebounds both times.

Green is 0-5 vs. this rebounds prop in his past five matchups against the Rockets (since Dec. 11).

If Jimmy Butler (pelvis, questionable) is out, the Warriors might need to shift their strategy and play with more size in the paint (deploying Kevon Looney or Quinten Post, for example).

And if Butler does play, he has enough rebounding prowess to continue to bite into Green’s opportunity. So I just don’t like this number for Green either way.

Rockets vs. Warriors prop picks made at 3:37 p.m. ET 04/25/2025.

Blue Jays vs. Yankees prop picks April 25: Bet on Jose Berrios and Ben Rice

After Thursday’s off-day, the Toronto Blue Jays are in the Bronx for their first matchup of the year against the New York Yankees.

The pregame narrative: It’s been a bumpy ride so far for Jose Berrios, and I think that’ll continue on Friday. That’s why I’ve got my eye on Ben Rice‘s bases prop — but I’m still backing Berrios in some form.

Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. Yankees for April 25.

Blue Jays picks vs. Yankees

Best Bet: Rice over 1.5 hits/runs/RBI (-118)

I wanted action on Aaron Judge tonight. I really did.

But his prop prices to score a run (-195), notch an RBI (-109) and clear 2.5 bases (+107) were just too steep for my liking.

That’s why I’m turning to Rice, who you may never have heard of if you don’t follow the Yankees.

Rice is New York’s leadoff man, which means he bats right in front of Judge. That should offer plenty of protection, given that Judge has a 1.247 OPS through 25 games.

Rice is having his own fun in the early stages of Year 2 as a big-leaguer. He’s batting .288 with a 1.005 OPS through 22 games. And his .315 ISO ranks ninth in the majors — one spot behind Judge.

I’d love to describe Rice’s Baseball Savant page, but I think it’s better just to show it:

He’s tattooing the ball, and I like his chances of keeping that up against the mercurial Berrios.

Berrios has a 5.02 ERA and an .851 opponent OPS through five starts. He’s pitched at Yankee Stadium twice over the previous two seasons, allowing 10 runs on 14 hits in 10.2 innings.

Key stat: The left-hitting Rice has a .340/.468/.680 slash line against right-handed pitchers this year (62 plate appearances).

Quick pick

Berrios over 4.5 Ks (-163): I don’t have high hopes for Berrios in this start, but I do think he can cash this strikeouts prop while probably also getting knocked around the park a bit.

This just isn’t a very lofty total for a starting pitcher that consistently tosses 5.0 innings or more (as Berrios has done in all five starts this season.

Berrios is averaging 4.8 Ks per outing so far, cashing this bet in 3 of 5 games.

In his past five outings against New York (since May 2023), Berrios has 38 Ks in 30.1 IP. He had 6+ Ks in each of those outings.

New York has the third-highest K rate in the majors (25.1%). So again, although I’m not bullish on Berrios to shut down the Yanks, I do expect him to miss a few bats along the way.

Blue Jays vs. Yankees picks made at 2:30 p.m. ET on 04/25/2025.

Blue Jays vs. Yankees prop picks April 25: Bet on Jose Berrios and Ben Rice

After Thursday’s off-day, the Toronto Blue Jays are in the Bronx for their first matchup of the year against the New York Yankees.

The pregame narrative: It’s been a bumpy ride so far for Jose Berrios, and I think that’ll continue on Friday. That’s why I’ve got my eye on Ben Rice‘s bases prop — but I’m still backing Berrios in some form.

Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. Yankees for April 25.

Blue Jays picks vs. Yankees

Best Bet: Rice over 1.5 bases (+160)

I wanted action on Aaron Judge tonight. I really did.

But his prop prices to score a run (-195), notch an RBI (-109) and clear 2.5 bases (+107) were just too steep for my liking.

That’s why I’m turning to Rice, who you may never have heard of if you don’t follow the Yankees.

Rice is New York’s leadoff man, which means he bats right in front of Judge. That should offer plenty of protection, given that Judge has a 1.247 OPS through 25 games.

Rice is having his own fun in the early stages of Year 2 as a big-leaguer. He’s batting .288 with a 1.005 OPS through 22 games. And his .315 ISO ranks ninth in the majors — one spot behind Judge.

I’d love to describe Rice’s Baseball Savant page, but I think it’s better just to show it:

He’s tattooing the ball, and I like his chances of keeping that up against the mercurial Berrios.

Berrios has a 5.02 ERA and an .851 opponent OPS through five starts. He’s pitched at Yankee Stadium twice over the previous two seasons, allowing 10 runs on 14 hits in 10.2 innings.

Key stat: The left-hitting Rice has a .340/.468/.680 slash line against right-handed pitchers this year (62 plate appearances).

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Quick pick

Berrios over 4.5 Ks (-137): I don’t have high hopes for Berrios in this start, but I do think he can cash this strikeouts prop while probably also getting knocked around the park a bit.

This just isn’t a very lofty total for a starting pitcher that consistently tosses 5.0 innings or more (as Berrios has done in all five starts this season.

Berrios is averaging 4.8 Ks per outing so far, cashing this bet in 3 of 5 games.

In his past five outings against New York (since May 2023), Berrios has 38 Ks in 30.1 IP. He had 6+ Ks in each of those outings.

New York has the third-highest K rate in the majors (25.1%). So again, although I’m not bullish on Berrios to shut down the Yanks, I do expect him to miss a few bats along the way.

Blue Jays vs. Yankees picks made at 1:50 p.m. ET on 04/25/2025.

Best NBA playoff prop bets April 25: Take the over on props for Doncic, Lillard and White

Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard headline my Friday night NBA prop bets for the first-round tripleheader.

The pregame narrative: Doncic and Lillard have both excelled recently against their respective opponents and should be relied upon for further production. In the first game of the night, look for Derrick White to continue his run as a high-floor scorer.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for first-round playoff action on April 25.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: White over 17.5 points (-125)

After White torched the Orlando Magic in their series opener, he cooled down significantly in Game 2. But he was still reasonably productive.

Game 1: 30 points, 55.6 FG% (7-for-12 from 3-point range)

Game 2: 17 points, 42.9 FG% (3-for-10 from 3-point range)

Jayson Tatum (wrist) is doubtful to play tonight after missing Game 2. Tatum averaged a team-high 10.1 attempted 3s this season, so his absence leaves a lot of vacated shots.

Next up on the Celtics’ list of volume 3-point shooters is White, who averaged 9.1 attempted 3s during the year.

Sure enough, White’s 10 attempted 3s led the Celtics in Game 2.

The eighth-year guard has played nine games without Tatum this season, averaging 20.3 PPG and cashing this bet seven times.

Key stat: The last time White faced the Magic in Orlando (Dec. 23), he played a team-high 40 minutes and scored 17 points. Tatum was absent for that game, too.

Best NBA picks

Doncic over 30.5 points (-120): Doncic was quieted by the Timberwolves in all three regular-season matchups this season. He shot 37.5% and didn’t even hit the 25-point mark once.

But how much does that matter when the playoffs come around? Not much at all, it seems.

Check out his playoff numbers vs. Minnesota since last year’s Western Conference finals:

32.9 PPG
31+ points in 6 of 7
42.3 3PT%

So far in this series, Doncic has 37 and 31 points, respectively, in the two games.

The Lakers have ample star power, but Doncic is the one shining brightest right now. And based on how he’s tortured the T-Wolves in the recent past, I think he’s worth a play at this line.

Lillard over 6.5 assists (-120): Lillard’s return after five-ish weeks on the shelf was a bit underwhelming in the scoring department. But in addition to 14 points on 13 shots, he posted seven assists.

Maybe he’ll get into more of a scoring groove tonight, but either way, I like this line for Lillard’s assists prop.

He averaged 7.1 APG on the season.

He has 7+ assists in 4 of 5 games vs. the Pacers this year (8.8 APG average in those games).

Indiana allowed the 11th-most assists to opposing point guards (8.99/game), according to Betting Pros.

NBA prop picks made at 1:05 p.m. ET on 04/25/2025.

Pacers vs. Bucks SGP predictions Game 3: Bet on Siakam to score, Indiana to cover alt spread

The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to get back in their first-round series tonight when they host the Indiana Pacers for Game 3.

The pregame narrative: Milwaukee dropped Games 1 and 2 on the road but is favoured tonight. I’d prefer to bank some points with Indiana while also backing Pascal Siakam and Damian Lillard in a +280 SGP.

Check out my Pacers vs. Bucks playoff SGP predictions for Game 3 on Friday, April 25.

Pacers vs. Bucks predictions

Parlay: Pacers +8.5 | Lillard 6+ assists | Siakam 20+ points (+250)

Pacers +8.5 (-180): Indiana earned a pair of comfortable victories to start the series, covering the spread both times. So sign me up for this amount of cushion in Game 3.

In the series opener, the Pacers won by 19 points as 6-point favourites. They followed that up with an 8-point win as 4.5-point favourites.

Indiana has covered a +8.5 spread in five straight games against Milwaukee, dating back to Dec. 31.

Lillard’s insertion into the series is a boost for the Bucks, but I’m not sold on him being a game-breaking scorer after missing more than a month of action.

And behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks just don’t have the depth to match the Pacers.

Indiana has seven players who averaged 10.0 PPG or more this season, and the team ranked ninth this year in offensive rating (one spot ahead of Milwaukee).

The Pacers have covered a +8.5 spread in 18 of their past 21 road games.

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NBA SGP legs

Lillard 6+ assists (-200): I took Lillard over 6.5 assists (-108) as one of my top prop bets for Friday night, so naturally I’m keen to back him on a milestone like this.

Lillard didn’t get into an offensive rhythm in Game 2 — his first NBA action since March 18 — finishing with 14 points on 30.8% shooting. But he did chip in with seven assists.

In five games against the Pacers this season, Lillard has averaged 8.8 assists and cashed this bet four times.

According to Betting Pros, Indiana allowed the 11th-most assists per game to opposing point guards (8.99), and Lillard has clearly taken advantage.

Siakam 20+ points (-124): At this price, Siakam’s milestone points prop is playable on its own. But it also takes this SGP from +132 to +280, and that has my attention.

This season, Siakam is 6-0 against this prop when facing the Bucks. He’s averaged 24.2 PPG vs. Milwaukee.

So far this series, Siakam has shot 18-for-31 (58.1%) from the floor and is a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Will things be tougher on Siakam now that he’s playing on the road? Maybe, but last year’s playoff showdown against the Bucks wouldn’t suggest that.

Siakam 2-1 against this prop in Milwaukee last postseason, scoring 35-plus points in two of those games.

Also, Siakam now has 20-plus points in eight of his past nine playoff games (he had 19 points in the outlier).

Pacers vs. Bucks predictions made at 11:30 a.m. ET 04/25/2025.

Best NBA playoff prop bets April 25: Take the over on props for Doncic, Lillard and White

Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard headline my Friday night NBA prop bets for the first-round tripleheader.

The pregame narrative: Doncic and Lillard have both excelled recently against their respective opponents and should be relied upon for further production. In the first game of the night, look for Derrick White to continue his run as a high-floor scorer.

Check out the best NBA prop bets for first-round playoff action on April 25.

NBA prop bets

Best Bet: White over 16.5 points (-121)

After White torched the Orlando Magic in their series opener, he cooled down significantly in Game 2. But he still did enough to cash this bet.

Game 1: 30 points, 55.6 FG% (7-for-12 from 3-point range)

Game 2: 17 points, 42.9 FG% (3-for-10 from 3-point range)

Jayson Tatum (wrist) is doubtful to play tonight after missing Game 2. Tatum averaged a team-high 10.1 attempted 3s this season, so his absence leaves a lot of vacated shots.

Next up on the Celtics’ list of volume 3-point shooters is White, who averaged 9.1 attempted 3s during the year.

Sure enough, White’s 10 attempted 3s led the Celtics in Game 2.

The eighth-year guard has played nine games without Tatum this season, averaging 20.3 PPG and cashing this bet seven times.

Key stat: The last time White faced the Magic in Orlando (Dec. 23), he played a team-high 40 minutes and scored 17 points. Tatum was absent for that game, too.

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Best NBA picks

Doncic over 29.5 points (-134): Doncic was quieted by the Timberwolves in all three regular-season matchups this season. He shot 37.5% and didn’t even hit the 25-point mark once.

But how much does that matter when the playoffs come around? Not much at all, it seems.

Check out his playoff numbers vs. Minnesota since last year’s Western Conference finals:

32.9 PPG
30+ points in 6 of 7
42.3 3PT%

So far in this series, Doncic has 37 and 31 points, respectively, in the two games.

The Lakers have ample star power, but Doncic is the one shining brightest right now. And based on how he’s tortured the T-Wolves in the recent past, I think he’s worth a play at this line.

Lillard over 6.5 assists (-108): Lillard’s return after five-ish weeks on the shelf was a bit underwhelming in the scoring department. But in addition to 14 points on 13 shots, he posted seven assists.

Maybe he’ll get into more of a scoring groove tonight, but either way, I like this line for Lillard’s assists prop.

He averaged 7.1 APG on the season.

He has 7+ assists in 4 of 5 games vs. the Pacers this year (8.8 APG average in those games).

Indiana allowed the 11th-most assists to opposing point guards (8.99/game), according to Betting Pros.

NBA prop picks made at 9:55 a.m. ET on 04/25/2025.

Lakers vs. Timberwolves prop picks Game 3: Anthony Edwards, Austin Reaves should fill the net

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday for Game 3 of a level series.

The pregame narrative: Edwards is my primary target on the prop market, as I think his shot volume should turn into a hefty scoring total. I’m also backing Austin Reaves to clear his points prop.

Check out my Lakers vs. Timberwolves prop picks for Game 3 of the opening round.

Lakers vs. Timberwolves prop picks

Best Bet: Edwards over 26.5 points (-112)

The boisterous, ever-confident, smack-talking Edwards is built for postseason play.

Fresh off a $50,000 fine for an exchange with a Laker fan, Edwards returns to Minnesota seeking to put on a show for the home crowd.

He’s finished under 25.5 points in both games so far this series, but not for a lack of trying:

Game 1: 22 points on 22 shots
Game 2: 25 points on 22 shots

If Edwards is going to continue firing 20-plus shots — and I don’t see why he’d stop — this points prop will always be within his grasp.

Through 29 playoff games, Edwards is averaging 27.5 PPG on 20.4 shots.

That’s plenty of volume for the three-time all-star, who averaged a career-high 27.6 PPG this season.

Game 3 is a crucial opportunity for the T-Wolves or Lakers to get ahead. I expect Edwards to give himself plenty of opportunities to lead that charge.

Key stat: Edwards has gone over 26.5 points in 15 of 29 playoff games in his career.

Game 3 prop prediction

Reaves over 17.5 points (-130): Like Edwards, Reaves has the shot volume to crest this point total. We just haven’t seen it happen yet in this series.

Game 1: 16 points on 13 shots
Game 2: 16 points on 14 shots

Reaves finished the regular season on a special scoring binge, averaging 24.9 PPG from March 13 through the season finale. He cashed this bet in 15 of those 17 games.

It’s been the Luka Doncic show for L.A. so far, and I’m sure that will continue. But Reaves has been more than just a sidekick even since Doncic joined the fold.

When he last faced the T-Wolves in Minnesota, Reaves scored 18 points while shooting 4-for-8 from 3-point range.

Lakers vs. Timberwolves prop picks made at 3:37 p.m. ET 04/24/2025.