NBA Playoffs Thursday: 2 Player Props and Best Bet for April 24

Nuggets/Clippers. Knicks/Pistons. Two series that are all knotted up at one game apiece will swing one way tonight. On the West coast, this is a Nikola Jokic statement game as these teams have been neck and neck all season and now, postseason long.

In Detroit, I expected the lid to come off the rim for both teams from beyond the arc and for Tobias Harris and Mikal Bridges to trade some deep buckets during the first home playoff game in Detroit since 2019.

Tobias Harris (DET) OVER 1.5 Made 3s

Tobias Harris has been a key contributor for the Pistons in this series thus far. The 32-year-old dropped 25 points in Game 1s tight loss and then 15 points and 13 boards in Game 2’s close victory.

Harris is getting hot at the right time, shooting it at a 40.6% clip post All-Star break and at home in Detroit, the vet performs well, averaging 15.3 PPG on 1.5 3PM per contest.

Against a Knicks team that will try to push the pace on offense and shut down Cunningham with a slew of defenders when he attacks the rim, I expect plenty of open looks in both transition and the half-court for Tobias.

Mikal Bridges (NYK) OVER 1.5 Made 3s

Mikal, Mikal, Mikal. The Knicks’ star forward is playing minutes on minutes on minutes. With the New York rotation consisting of the five starters and Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson off the bench, I am projecting a 40-minute night for Mikal tonight, which should give him plenty of 3-point opportunities.

He hit 3 of 11 in New York a few nights ago, and he will have the green light again tonight. In wins, Bridges goes for 2.3 3PM opposed to 1.5 3PM in losses. This is a statement game for him as especially after a really poor Game 1 performance. Bridges makes a major statement here in Game 3, where the lid finally comes off the rim for both teams.

Nuggets +5 over Clippers

I don’t think any game in this series will be won by more than five points. Of course, that is a bold take, but the Clippers and Nuggets are so evenly matched. The Nuggets have the best player in the world in Jokic and one of the best guard playoff performers in Murray.

Now, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and Jalen Pickett are starting to come into their own as role guys playing some big-time minutes. The Nuggets shot just 64% from the line and had 20 turnovers in Game 2s three point loss.

They will bounce back tonight in Los Angeles, and if they don’t win, this game will come down to the last possession or two behind a big game from Jokic as the post-MVP voting MVP race continues during the First Round of the postseason.