Saturday’s NBA schedule includes a doubleheader of two of the most competitive series in the playoffs.
The Miami Heat hope to get Jimmy Butler back for Game 3 and maintain their home-court advantage in the first game of the day, and Anthony Davis and the Lakers will look to bounce back from a nearly 30-point loss in Game 2 against the Warriors. With the series tied, Game 3 is critical.
We’ve put together some of the best NBA prop bets for Saturday’s playoff action for you to consider. You can find all of these bets and more at the top sports betting apps available in the United States.
Best NBA Player Prop Bets for May 6
New York Knicks at Miami Heat, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) — Series tied, 1-1
For Miami, the health of Butler is top of mind. The most recent reports imply there is a good chance for him to be available for Game 3, which would be great news for the Heat. Butler’s presence will help to create easier shots for the team and avoid scoring droughts.
Gabe Vincent to Score the First Basket (+1100 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Bam Adebayo’s opening tip win percentage is 57%, and Mitchell Robinson’s is 63%. However, Miami’s Adebayo has won their season jump ball battle 4-2, and it appears to be because Adebayo is the quicker leaper. If that trend carries over to this contest, Gabe Vincent is a great option to consider. He has increased his level of intensity and production significantly in the playoffs, and it’s consistently trending upward.
In Game 1, he scored the first basket of the contest and eight of the first 12 points for Miami. Although he didn’t score the first basket in Game 2, he was one of the first scorers for his team. He is shooting early and often, and that has been consistent with and without Butler. The Knicks are sure to be all over Butler from the jump ball as he returns from injury, so he could be slow to find his rhythm.
At 11-to-1 odds, Vincent is a high-reward opportunity, and his attacking mindset sets him up nicely to cover this wager.
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Gabe Vincent to score Over 15 points (+105 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
Vincent averaged nine points this season, but as of late, he has been on a tear by his standards. In the Heat’s last three games, he has connected on at least four 3-pointers and has scored at least 20 points in each game. He has shot the ball 33 times in two games in this series, including 12 three-point attempts in both. With Butler’s abilities still very much unknown, the Heat will look to Vincent’s hot hand for offensive production.
Considering the volume of his three-point attempts and the clip at which he is connecting, Vincent has favorable odds of covering this wager. It may be worth considering taking him to score over 20 points at +360 on DraftKings as well.
Bet on Vincent to keep scoring with $1,200 in bonuses from DraftKings
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) — Series tied 1-1
Since the fourth quarter of Game 1, the Warriors have dominated the series and the Lakers have yet to adjust. Fortunately for Lakers coach Darvin Ham, center Anthony Davis has had yo-yo performances in the playoffs, so if the trend continues, he is on deck for a bounce-back game. As for Golden State, the adjustment to put Stephen Curry on the ball and serve as the playmaker has taken their offense to another level. Considering the Lakers haven’t found a way to stop it yet, LA fans should be worried.
Steph Curry to have Over 5.5 Assists (-133 on Caesars Sportsbook)
Warriors coach Steve Kerr put his stamp on this series with the decision to put Curry on the ball. His ball-handling ability leads to easier and higher-quality shots for his teammates. It’s not the Chef Curry the league has known, but it is a version of him that appears to have the Warriors in the driver’s seat even though the series is tied. After seeing how effective Curry had been on the ball at the end of the first game when they nearly overcame a 14-point deficit, Kerr stuck with the switch to start Game 2, and the decision paid off via a 27-point victory.
It’s safe to expect more of the same until Los Angeles shows the ability to stop it. With Curry in pass mode creating shots for others, six dimes are more than attainable for him. With the keys in his hand for the bulk of the last game, he racked up 12 assists. He draws the full attention of opposing defenses as soon as he crosses mid-court, which sets up his teammates — especially Klay Thompson — for a field day given his new responsibilities.
Bet on Curry to set up his teammates with a $1,250 bonus from Caesars.
