Less than a handful of games remain in the NBA regular season, and playoff seeding still isn’t final. The Nos. 5-9 seeds in the Western Conference can still swing. In the Eastern Conference, the Nos. 6-9 seeds can also flip, and there are a few games on Thursday, April 6, that can potentially impact the final seedings.
Fans are in for early playoff basketball today and the rest of the week as teams fight to maintain seeding and begin upping the ante in preparation for the playoffs. Wagering now is also good prep for sports bettors. We put together a few of the best NBA player prop bets for a couple of the games with playoff implications tonight. Check them out, do your own research, and place a few wagers of your own on the nation’s top online sportsbooks to see if you’re ready for playoff basketball.
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Best NBA Player Props for Thursday, April 6
Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
The Heat are locked in a play-in tournament spot, and the 76ers are locked into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. With a victory, the 76ers assure a first-round matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. If they lose, they could potentially see a first-round matchup with the Heat, which is a much scarier matchup for them.
James Harden to Score Under 19.5 Points (+105 on DraftKings)
No one has been more up and down this season than James Harden. His numbers for the season are career numbers for others, but they should be concerning for 76er fans given their ultimate goals for the team. His performance from the field has been abysmal all March, and things haven’t been much better in April. As much as Miami has struggled this season, it is still one of the better defensive teams in the league.
However, the Heat have no answer for Embiid, along with the rest of the league. Given Harden’s apparent nagging injury, look for him to be more of a floor general than a scorer. He has scored fewer than 19 points in six of his last 10 games.
Harden to Have Over 10.5 Assists (+115 on DraftKings)
Although Harden has been subpar from the field for a good chunk of the season — and especially lately — his biggest value for the 76ers by far is distributing the basketball. He has had at least 10 assists in eight of his last 10 games, and the 76ers’ offense dips significantly when he is off the court. Given the 76ers have something to play for, look for him to put his stamp on the game by getting others involved to minimize the stress on his big man late in the season.
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz, 8 p.m. ET
The Thunder currently hold the last spot in the play-in tournament. However, they are tied with the Dallas Mavericks, and they are just 1.5 games better than the Jazz. This game will have huge implications on who ultimately secures the final spot in the Western Conference.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Score 35 and the Thunder Win (+158 on FanDuel)
Gilgeous-Alexander has morphed himself into one of the league’s best scorers. He is averaging nearly 32 points per game on better than 50% shooting from the field. His performances in March helped keep the Thunder in position to make the playoffs this late in the season, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. His lowest scoring output in his last 13 games was 27 points.
The Jazz have been competitive as well, but it hasn’t been because of their defense. Additionally, Alexander gets to the free throw line with the best of them, and the Jazz usually send good scorers there at a good clip. The trips to the line should help Alexander cover the 35 points in this one. Last but not least, the Thunder are six-point favorites.
As well as he has performed lately, the Thunder should be able to limit Utah guard Talen Horton-Tucker and seal the victory despite being on the road.
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Article contributed by David Fletcher.
