Best player prop bets to consider for Sunday's NBA playoff slate
Sunday's first-round NBA postseason slate features four matchups. With plenty of player prop bets to wager on, we dive into some of the most intriguing options.
Kyrie Irving Over/Under 24.5 points
The Indiana Pacers lack star power without the injured Victor Oladipo, so they'll need a collective effort if they want to bounce the Boston Celtics. That all starts on the defensive side of the ball, where the Pacers led the NBA in points allowed per game this season, surrendering just 104.7. If they want any shot at a first-round upset, they'll have to contain Irving, the Celtics' leading scorer at 23.8 points per game.
Irving's scoring numbers have been a mixed bag against Indiana this year, putting up point totals of 17, 30, 15, and 12 in the team's four meetings.
Overall, the Pacers allow the least amount of points to opposing point guards at just 19.6 per game.
Andre Drummond Over/Under 34.5 points + rebounds + assists
Drummond puts up double-doubles at a torrid pace, finishing the regular season averaging 17.3 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. The Bucks rank No. 1 in defensive efficiency but do have some weaknesses in the post, allowing 25.8 points and 14.1 rebounds to opposing centers this year. Drummond stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, 13 boards, and four assists during the Pistons' Jan. 29 meeting against the Bucks, but failed to surpass a combined 25 points, rebounds, and assists in their other three matchups.
P.J. Tucker Over/Under 6.5 points
The Utah Jazz did a great job of defending the Houston Rockets during the regular season, holding them to under 41 percent shooting in three of their four meetings. Tucker averaged just 7.3 points per game during the year and gets the short end of the stick based on the matchup.
Utah's one of the league's best at guarding forwards, and they held Tucker to six points or fewer in three of their games, including a scoreless output.
Russell Westbrook Over/Under 46.5 points + rebounds + assists
The Oklahoma City Thunder had the Portland Trail Blazers' number this season with four wins and Westbrook was at the forefront of it. He was responsible for a 37-point effort, two separate triple-doubles, and a 31-point, seven-assist, nine-rebound output.
Portland has struggled against opposing floor generals all season long. The Trail Blazers allowed 24.6 points per game, the sixth-most in the NBA. With a game expected to finish in the 220s, Westbrook should be in for another fun night on the stat sheet.
Clint Capela Over/Under 1.5 assists
This could be a fun one.
Capela has never been much of an assist guy - most centers aren't - but he's averaging a career-high 1.4 per game this season, nearly double the total from last year.
The Jazz don't fall in the bottom half of the NBA in many defensive statistics, but they're the worst at allowing assists to opposing centers at 4.32 per contest. This could be over in the first few minutes, or become a long, brutal sweat to the finish line.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.