The NBA playoffs are always wild, wacky and filled with knife-cuttable drama. With players putting everything on the line in an attempt to bask in championship glory, the pressure-packed games are tremendously fun to wager on. As a result, the sportsbooks offer many creative ways to enhance the action. What are Brad’s various wagers in both the series and Game 1 of Timberwolves-Nuggets? Check out his leans below.
Game 1 pick — SGP: Nuggets ML vs. Timberwolves; Nikola Jokic 18+ points, UNDER 10.5 assists (+160, BetMGM)
BetMGM offer:
When lightly employing the unrelated-related strategy as often featured in baseball, the SGP juice gets JACKED on the three-legger scribbled above.
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch, who’ll hopefully be on the sidelines after knee surgery, deployed a consistent game plan in four regular-season matchups against the Nuggets. The idea: Mitigate Jokic the passer, but not the scorer.
With Rudy Gobert and Karl Anthony-Towns, the scheme proved mostly effective. In those games against Denver, the Timberwolves limited the reigning MVP to only 4.3 assists per game while allowing 33.3 points per game. As a result, they split the series with the Nuggets, going 1-1 at Ball Arena.
At a hefty +175, the above SGP realistically cashing isn’t the gummy suddenly kicking in.
Series prop — Jamal Murray most assists (+400, BetMGM)
BetMGM offer:
Keep the massage wand applied on that tender calf, Jamal.
As Mr. Clutch against the Lakers, Murray averaged a stout 7.2 dimes per game in the five-game series. As mentioned above, the attention Jokic the passer is sure to draw raises Blue Arrow’s need to toss chest-pass strikes. Minnesota only conceded 19.8 assists per game against the dim-lit Suns, but Murray’s usage as a creator should increase, provided his calf stays intact.
Series pick — Nuggets to win 4-3 (+400, BetMGM)
BetMGM offer:
This often-wrong prognosticator, like an Easter Island statue, isn’t budging. Before the playoffs began, I predicted on “Live on the Line” that Boston and Denver would reach the NBA Finals.
This series will unquestionably be a backyard brawl. The Wolves were No. 1 in the regular season in points per possession allowed (1.084). Stingy.
Giving up only 46.5% shooting from the field against Phoenix, Minnesota will be highly competitive. Keep in mind, the Wolves and Nuggets ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, in NET efficiency in the 82 games prior to the postseason.
NBA postseason record: 6-12, -5.55 units