The NBA playoffs are always wild, wacky and filled with knife-thick drama. With players putting everything on the line in an attempt to bask in championship glory, naturally, the pressure-packed games are tremendously fun to wager on. As a result, the sportsbooks offer many creative ways to enhance the action. What is Brad’s SGP play in Timberwolves-Nuggets Game 5? Check out his leans below.
The pick — SGP: Nuggets ML; Nikola Jokic 20+ points, 5+ assists; Anthony Edwards 25+ points (+120, DraftKings)
DraftKings offers:
Like a desperate ex-boyfriend crawling back to the just-realized love of his life is this transformed Nuggets doubter. Apologies, unwavering Denver faithful. At any number of local breweries, the first round is on this balding jackass.
Prior to Game 3, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone motivated his team with the media’s predictions of Denver’s impending doom. Improbably taking both games in Minneapolis, the Nuggets are back — SOOO back — with the series returning to Ball Arena.
Jokic continues to annihilate the box score, but it’s the MVP’s defensive efforts, Jamal Murray’s sudden resuscitation and supporting cast contributions (most notably from Aaron Gordon, Justin Holiday and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) that have revitalized the still reigning champs.
Even with the series deadlocked at two games apiece, it very much feels like Denver owns the upper hand. In Game 5 on Tuesday, look for the Nuggets to further exert an iron grip.
As for Jokic’s props, both are low bars to leap. Heck, a dachshund could do it. He’s averaged 26.8 points in the series, scoring at least 20 in three of four games. Extend the sample size out to all eight games against Minnesota this season, and he’s tallied the needed number in seven of them.
On the assists side, Jokic has dished out five or more dimes in six straight contests against the Timberwolves, averaging 8.3 per game in the Western Conference semifinals.
Lastly, chipping in Edwards to score 25 points spikes the juice. Virtually uncontainable in this series, Ant-Man has repeatedly stung the Nuggets. He’s gone for at least 25 points in six of eight playoff games, averaging 33.3 points against Denver. He’s also shot a ridiculous 60.5% from the field over his last four.
Forgive me, Rocky, for prematurely dismissing your boys.
NBA postseason record: 8-20, -10.83 units (We've dropped five straight)
BONUS TIME — Pacers OVER 107.5 team points at Knicks (-115, DraftKings)