Contributing Writer

Timberwolves vs. Thunder prop picks Game 5: Back Chet Holmgren to be productive for OKC

The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the brink of elimination and find themselves in a must-win situation on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.

The pregame narrative: The Timberwolves suffered a heartbreaking 128-126 loss at home in Game 4. It was a failed effort to even the series, and now the Thunder are one game from reaching their first NBA Finals since the Kevin Durant era.

Check out my Timberwolves vs. Thunder prop picks on Chet Holmgren and Jaden McDaniels for Game 5 on May 28.

Timberwolves vs. Thunder prop picks

Best bet: Holmgren over 24.5 points/rebounds (-107)

The final piece of this Thunder roster was drafted second overall in 2022 before missing his entire rookie campaign.

Holmgren returned as a sophomore and rivalled Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year before getting injured again at the start of this season.

Luckily, the 7-footer returned midway through the year and had enough time to prepare for this lengthy playoff run that isn’t over yet.

Holmgren is averaging 16.1 points and 8.7 rebounds in the playoffs.

That’s an improvement over his regular-season averages (15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds).

He’s 8-7 against this wager overall, but is 5-1 when playing 30-plus minutes.

When OKC wins, it often wins big. So Holmgren can fall victim to a bad game script.

But as the games get more important, Holmgren should see more run.

In Game 4, the 23-year-old scored 21 points (9-of-14 shooting) and grabbed seven rebounds in 33 minutes of action.

He’s averaging 17.0 points on 55.3% from the field in the Western Conference final.

Key stat: Holmgren has at least 22 points/rebounds in seven of eight home games this postseason, giving him a solid floor for this pick.

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Game 5 prop predictions

McDaniels over 12.5 points (-107): McDaniels has been a consistent scorer for the Timberwolves in the postseason, and he’s coming off an excellent Game 4.

The 24-year-old is scoring 14.6 points and shooting 51.7% from the field, numbers that are well above his regular-season averages.

He has shot over 50% in 10 of 13 games.

McDaniels may be an underwhelming 7-6 against this line, but he’s done his best with the amount of shots he’s taking.

He has averaged 11.0 field-goal attempts per game in the playoffs, though he should see an uptick in volume in a must-win game for Minnesota.

McDaniels’ Game 4 performance certainly helped make the case.

With Anthony Edwards smothered on the defensive end, McDaniels hit 9-of-15 shots for 22 points.

Timberwolves vs. Thunder prop picks made at 9:05 a.m. ET 05/28/2025.

Eva Lys vs. Victoria Mboko French Open best bet and odds: Bet on the 18-year-old Canadian

Victoria Mboko is turning heads at the French Open and continues her tournament in the second round against Eva Lys.

The pregame narrative: The Canadian was unbelievable to start the year, winning 22 matches in a row to win four International Tennis Federation titles. Now in her Grand Slam debut, she’s making quick work of opponents at the top level.

Check out my Lys vs. Mboko French Open best bet and the odds for Wednesday, May 28.

Lys vs. Mboko French Open odds

Betting markets	Odds
Lys to win	+115
Mboko to win	-150
Lys +1.5 sets	-225
Mboko -1.5 sets	+160
Over 21.5 total games	-118
Under 21.5 total games	-118

Lys vs. Mboko French Open odds as of 5:08 p.m. ET on 05/26/2025.

Second-round best bet

Best bet: Mboko -1.5 sets (+160)

Canada has a tennis phenom in the making with Mboko. At just 18 years old, she’s making her first appearance at Roland-Garros, where she’s gaining notice.

To get here, she had to play in the qualifiers and won all three matches in straight sets.

Mboko followed that up with another straight-set win over No. 45-ranked Lulu Sun.

She improved her 2025 record to 41-5, which includes that incredible 22-match win streak.

Mboko took part in the Rome Open earlier this month and advanced to the second round, where she ran into No. 2-ranked Coco Gauff.

The Canadian won the opening set but fell short in the end. Gauff advanced to the final of that event.

Go to full Lys vs. Mboko betting markets.

The 18-year-old is inexperienced at this level, but she plays well beyond her years, as demonstrated by her serve.

Against Sun, Mboko recorded seven aces and a top serve speed of 115 MPH. That makes it extremely hard for her opponents to earn break points.

Plus, she has an 11-3 record on clay this season.

Lys is no slouch as the 59th-ranked women’s player, but her 68-52 record on clay (7-5 in 2025) is less than impressive.

The German hasn’t made it past the second round in nine of the 11 events she’s participated in this year, either. I don’t think Lys is in form and she should struggle to keep pace with Mboko.

Key stat: Of the 41 matches Mboko’s won in 2025, 33 (80.4%) of those victories have come in straight sets.

French Open best bet made at 5:07 p.m. ET on 05/26/2025.

Eva Lys vs. Victoria Mboko French Open best bet and odds: Bet on the 18-year-old Canadian

Victoria Mboko is turning heads at the French Open and continues her tournament in the second round against Eva Lys.

The pregame narrative: The Canadian was unbelievable to start the year, winning 22 matches in a row to win four International Tennis Federation titles. Now in her Grand Slam debut, she’s making quick work of opponents at the top level.

Check out my Lys vs. Mboko French Open best bet and the odds for Wednesday, May 28.

Lys vs. Mboko French Open odds

Betting markets	Odds
Lys to win	+114
Mboko to win	-141
Lys +1.5 sets	-220
Mboko -1.5 sets	+170
Over 21.5 total games	-109
Under 21.5 total games	-115

Lys vs. Mboko French Open odds as of 3:19 p.m. ET on 05/26/2025.

Second-round best bet

Best bet: Mboko -1.5 sets (+170)

Canada has a tennis phenom in the making with Mboko. At just 18 years old, she’s making her first appearance at Roland-Garros, where she’s gaining notice.

To get here, she had to play in the qualifiers and won all three matches in straight sets.

Mboko followed that up with another straight-set win over No. 45-ranked Lulu Sun.

She improved her 2025 record to 41-5, which includes that incredible 22-match win streak.

Mboko took part in the Rome Open earlier this month and advanced to the second round, where she ran into No. 2-ranked Coco Gauff.

The Canadian won the opening set but fell short in the end. Gauff advanced to the final of that event.

Go to full Lys vs. Mboko betting markets.

The 18-year-old is inexperienced at this level, but she plays well beyond her years, as demonstrated by her serve.

Against Sun, Mboko recorded seven aces and a top serve speed of 115 MPH. That makes it extremely hard for her opponents to earn break points.

Plus, she has an 11-3 record on clay this season.

Lys is no slouch as the 59th-ranked women’s player, but her 68-52 record on clay (7-5 in 2025) is less than impressive.

The German hasn’t made it past the second round in nine of the 11 events she’s participated in this year, either. I don’t think Lys is in form and she should struggle to keep pace with Mboko.

Key stat: Of the 41 matches Mboko’s won in 2025, 33 (80.4%) of those victories have come in straight sets.

French Open best bet made at 3:25 p.m. ET on 05/26/2025.

Stars vs. Oilers prop picks Game 4: Bet on Zach Hyman in Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers look to be in complete control, up 2-1 against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final.

The pregame narrative: The Oilers had a troublesome start, losing Game 1, 6-3. But everything has gone their way since. In the last two games, Edmonton has outscored Dallas 9-1 and now has the chance to take another step closer to its second straight Stanley Cup Final.

Check out my Stars vs. Oilers Game 4 prop picks on Zach Hyman and Mikael Granlund for May 27.

Stars vs. Oilers picks

Best Bet: Hyman to score a point (-118)

The Oilers have played six games at home this postseason. Hyman has been productive in those outings.

8 of 11 playoff points came at home
4-2 vs. this wager in Edmonton
3 points vs. Dallas in Game 3

Hyman continues to play on the first line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid, a tandem that has 38 combined points in the playoffs.

I’m not sure there is a better situation to be in for production opportunities.

And Hyman has made the most of it. He has 33 points in his last 39 playoff games.

On top of all that, the winger loves playing Dallas, as indicated by his recent stats in this matchup.

Key stat: Since the start of 2025, Hyman has seven points in five games vs. the Stars.

Game 4 prop prediction

Granlund over 1.5 shots (-106): I went with this pick for Game 3, and Granlund looked well on track after recording a shot early in the first period.

He went on to go without one for the rest of the game, but that isn’t stopping me from going right back to it.

Granlund is still 8-3 against this wager over his last 11 playoff games.

He still managed three shot attempts and is averaging 3.7 per game over that 11-game sample size.

Granlund is a first-liner who skates on the back end of the second power-play unit. He should see enough opportunities to cash the over on this modest total.

Stars vs. Oilers prop picks made at 1:49 p.m. ET 05/26/2025.

Stars vs. Oilers prop picks Game 4: Bet on Zach Hyman in Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers look to be in complete control, up 2-1 against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final.

The pregame narrative: The Oilers had a troublesome start, losing Game 1, 6-3. But everything has gone their way since. In the last two games, Edmonton has outscored Dallas 9-1 and now has the chance to take another step closer to its second straight Stanley Cup Final.

Check out my Stars vs. Oilers Game 4 prop picks on Zach Hyman and Mikael Granlund for May 27.

Stars vs. Oilers picks

Best Bet: Hyman to score a point (-129)

The Oilers have played six games at home this postseason. Hyman has been productive in those outings.

8 of 11 playoff points came at home
4-2 vs. this wager in Edmonton
3 points vs. Dallas in Game 3

Hyman continues to play on the first line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid, a tandem that has 38 combined points in the playoffs.

I’m not sure there is a better situation to be in for production opportunities.

And Hyman has made the most of it. He has 33 points in his last 39 playoff games.

On top of all that, the winger loves playing Dallas, as indicated by his recent stats in this matchup.

Key stat: Since the start of 2025, Hyman has seven points in five games vs. the Stars.

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Game 4 prop prediction

Granlund over 1.5 shots (-110): I went with this pick for Game 3, and Granlund looked well on track after recording a shot early in the first period.

He went on to go without one for the rest of the game, but that isn’t stopping me from going right back to it.

Granlund is still 8-3 against this wager over his last 11 playoff games.

He still managed three shot attempts and is averaging 3.7 per game over that 11-game sample size.

Granlund is a first-liner who skates on the back end of the second power-play unit. He should see enough opportunities to cash the over on this modest total.

Stars vs. Oilers prop picks made at 1:49 p.m. ET 05/26/2025.

Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP predictions Game 4: Look for Gilgeous-Alexander to have bounce-back performance

The Minnesota Timberwolves won decisively in Game 3 and have the chance to even things up on Monday.

The pregame narrative: The Thunder were at the unfamiliar end of a blowout on Saturday and look to secure a two-game lead before returning home. Easier said than done, though, as the Timberwolves have been a strong home team in the playoffs.

Check out my Thunder vs. Timberwolves SGP predictions for Game 4 on May 26, featuring plays on Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Thunder vs. Timberwolves predictions

Parlay: Timberwolves +5.5 | Edwards 3+ threes | Gilgeous-Alexander over 30.5 points (+310)

Timberwolves +5.5 (-159): It may not have looked like it in Games 1 and 2, but the Timberwolves are legit contenders for the title.

And their playoff success has been fuelled by a 5-1 home record, including a 42-point battering of the Thunder in Game 3.

That was the largest defeat of the season for OKC, and it shows that Minnesota isn’t willing to roll over just yet.

The T-wolves have an average point differential of +13.5 at home this postseason. They haven’t just been winning, but have been running opponents out of their building.

This wager doesn’t require Minnesota to win, however. The team only has to stay competitive, and it’s very capable of that.

Overall, the Timberwolves are 10-1 in their last 11 games at Target Center.

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NBA SGP legs

Edwards 3+ threes (-225): The star guard had one of his best games of the postseason on Saturday when he scored 30 points on an efficient 12-for-17 shooting (5-for-8 from 3-point range).

That’s actually below average volume for Edwards, who is averaging 20.5 field-goal attempts for the T-wolves.

On top of that, Edwards has taken eight or more 3s in all but two playoff games. That’s a great volume to work with at the very least.

He finished the regular season ranked second in the NBA with 10.3 attempted 3s per game and hasn’t slowed down much, taking 8.9 triples per game in the postseason.

Overall, Edwards is 8-5 against this line in the playoffs and 4-2 at home.

Gilgeous-Alexander over 30.5 points (-139): On the other side, the NBA’s newest MVP leads the offence for the Thunder.

The Canadian finished the regular season as the league’s top scorer (32.7 PPG) and is averaging 28.7 PPG in the playoffs.

He had arguably his worst showing of the postseason in Game 3, putting up a measly 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting.

However, he cleared this line in five straight games before that, so a better performance should be expected.

Including the Western Conference finals, SGA is 5-2 against this line vs. Minnesota while scoring a blistering 32.0 points per game.

The Thunder’s superstar is 9-5 against this line in the playoffs.

Thunder vs. Timberwolves predictions made at 2:45 p.m. ET 05/26/2025.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks Game 4: Bet on Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand for Florida

The Carolina Hurricanes need to win on Monday to avoid being eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference final.

The pregame narrative: The Panthers have outscored the Hurricanes 16-4 en route to a 3-0 series lead. Florida is now one win away from reaching a third straight Stanley Cup Final.

Check out my Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks on Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand for Game 4.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers picks

Best bet: Ekblad to score a point (-118)

The blue-liner continues to be a force for the Panthers in the postseason.

10 points in 11 playoff games
8-3 vs. this line

And offence seems to be plentiful for the Panthers in the series. They’ve scored over five goals per game so far.

Ekblad has tallied a point in all three games.

It’s not surprising since the veteran defenceman is playing over 20 minutes every night for a team that is currently scoring with ease.

Among 38 defencemen with 200-plus minutes in the playoffs, Ekblad’s on-ice Corsi per 60 (76.76) ranks third, per Natural Stat Trick.

Ekblad has another shot to get on the score sheet while the Panthers can eliminate the Hurricanes and punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

Key stat: Including the playoffs, Ekblad is 5-1 against this line vs. Carolina this year.

Game 4 prop prediction

Marchand to score a point (+100): Another Panther I’m interested in targeting is Marchand.

The midseason acquisition is showing his worth in the playoffs, scoring 13 points in 15 games.

He’s been rather quiet in this series, recording just one goal in three matchups. But since Sam Reinhart’s status is up in the air moving forward, there is a gap to fill on Florida’s offence.

And the third line, including Marchand, has been great all postseason. The former Boston Bruin scored in Reinhart’s first game out.

He’s 10-5 against this line in the playoffs.

Overall, Marchand is an excellent postseason performer. He has 151 points in 172 career playoff games.

Marchand has 12 even-strength points in these playoffs and should continue contributing in a consistently high-scoring offence.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks made at 1:11 p.m. ET 05/26/2025.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks Game 4: Bet on Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand for Florida

The Carolina Hurricanes need to win on Monday to avoid being eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference final.

The pregame narrative: The Panthers have outscored the Hurricanes 16-4 en route to a 3-0 series lead. Florida is now one win away from reaching a third straight Stanley Cup Final.

Check out my Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks on Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand for Game 4.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers picks

Best bet: Ekblad to score a point (-115)

The blue-liner continues to be a force for the Panthers in the postseason.

10 points in 11 playoff games
8-3 vs. this line

And offence seems to be plentiful for the Panthers in the series. They’ve scored over five goals per game so far.

Ekblad has tallied a point in all three games.

It’s not surprising since the veteran defenceman is playing over 20 minutes every night for a team that is currently scoring with ease.

Among 38 defencemen with 200-plus minutes in the playoffs, Ekblad’s on-ice Corsi per 60 (76.76) ranks third, per Natural Stat Trick.

Ekblad has another shot to get on the score sheet while the Panthers can eliminate the Hurricanes and punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

Key stat: Including the playoffs, Ekblad is 5-1 against this line vs. Carolina this year.

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Game 4 prop prediction

Marchand to score a point (-115): Another Panther I’m interested in targeting is Marchand.

The midseason acquisition is showing his worth in the playoffs, scoring 13 points in 15 games.

He’s been rather quiet in this series, recording just one goal in three matchups. But since Sam Reinhart’s status is up in the air moving forward, there is a gap to fill on Florida’s offence.

And the third line, including Marchand, has been great all postseason. The former Boston Bruin scored in Reinhart’s first game out.

He’s 10-5 against this line in the playoffs.

Overall, Marchand is an excellent postseason performer. He has 151 points in 172 career playoff games.

Marchand has 12 even-strength points in these playoffs and should continue contributing in a consistently high-scoring offence.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks made at 9:31 a.m. ET 05/26/2025.

Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks Game 3: Target point guards Brunson, Haliburton in Indiana

The Indiana Pacers return home with a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The pregame narrative: The New York Knicks will be fighting an uphill battle trying to do something that’s only been done five times in NBA history. And that’s to win a seven-game series after losing the first two games at home.

I’m targeting Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton in my Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks on May 25.

Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks

Best Bet: Brunson over 38.5 points/assists (-125)

Despite the Knicks’ woes, Brunson has been doing his part to will New York’s offence.

Through two games, he’s averaging 39.5 points and 8.5 assists. That comes with a very efficient 53.8% field-goal percentage.

I was expecting another high-scoring showdown after what we saw in Game 1, but the second contest stayed relatively tame, finishing with 223 total points.

That didn’t stop Brunson from filling the stat sheet with 36 points and 11 assists, though.

Tonight’s contest should get back to the standard. The Knicks and Pacers finished with 247.5 average points in their four previous meetings this year.

A lot of that could be attributed to Indiana playing at the fastest pace among Eastern Conference playoff teams.

That should lead to more production opportunities for Brunson, who’s averaging 30.4 points and 7.7 assists in the postseason.

Key stat: Brunson has cleared this line in five straight games vs. Indiana in which he’s played 35 or more minutes.

Game 3 prop prediction

Haliburton over 9.5 assists (-118): Indiana’s point guard cleared this line in the first two games, dishing out 11 assists in both matchups.

Haliburton is averaging 12.5 adjusted assists (which includes free-throw assists and secondary assists) in this series, according to NBA.com, which further highlights his playmaking ability.

His 17.5 potential assists per game (denoting all passes that lead directly to a shot) in the playoffs rank above any remaining player.

If there is more scoring, like I predict, Haliburton should be able to achieve a double-digit assist total once again.

Overall, Haliburton has cashed this wager in seven of 12 postseason games.

Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks made at 3:01 p.m. ET 05/25/2025.

Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks Game 3: Target point guards Brunson, Haliburton in Indiana

The Indiana Pacers return home with a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The pregame narrative: The New York Knicks will be fighting an uphill battle trying to do something that’s only been done five times in NBA history. And that’s to win a seven-game series after losing the first two games at home.

I’m targeting Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton in my Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks on May 25.

Knicks vs. Pacers prop picks

Best Bet: Brunson over 38.5 points/assists (-117)