We're focusing on a pair of 3-and-D stars in the second round of the NBA playoffs, as we offer our top NBA player props and expert picks for Thursday based on the best NBA odds.
A dominant Game 1 win by the Boston Celtics (64-18) over the Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34) has reaffirmed their position as the favorite by the NBA championship odds.
Heading into Game 2 on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN), the Celtics are a 13.5-point favorite across our best sports betting sites, and Derrick White is poised to continue his hot streak at TD Garden in Boston.
Then it's a duel of two 2024 NBA Finals MVP odds contenders as the Dallas Mavericks look to bounce back in Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). After a booming Game 1 win, the Thunder are a 5.5-point favorite from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Along with our Cavaliers vs. Celtics player props and our Mavericks vs. Thunder player props, here are our NBA player props and expert picks for Thursday (NBA picks based on odds via our best NBA betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Thursday's NBA expert picks
- Derrick White Over 3.5 made 3-pointers (+120 via FanDuel) ???
- Evan Mobley Over 1.5 blocks (+100 via BetMGM) ????
- Luka Doncic Under 50.5 points + rebounds + assists (+100 via bet365) ???
- Jalen Williams Over 1.5 made 3-pointers (+110 via FanDuel) ????
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Thursday's NBA schedule and odds
(Odds via Caesars)
- Cavaliers vs. Celtics | Spread: Celtics -13.5 | Total: 212
- Mavericks vs. Thunder | Spread: Thunder -5.5 | Total: 218
NBA player props
With the way Deion Sanders is attempting to keep Colorado in the national media at all times, for good or bad (usually bad), and regardless of on-field play, I, for one, am shocked he hasn't somehow made Derrick White's playoff play about him.
White, a former star at Colorado, has been shooting lights out in the playoffs for Boston and was unstoppable, hitting long bomb after long bomb (unlike Shedeur) in Game 1 against the Cavaliers. White's coming off a 7-for-12 performance from behind the arc and has gone 20-for-37 over his last three games (54%).
With the Celtics guard averaging 4.2 made 3-pointers in the playoffs, and making Over 3.5 in four of six games, this is a wicked value. While the +120 odds only imply a 45.45% probability the Over hits, according to our odds calculator, a $10 bet pays out $22.
Best odds: +120 via FanDuel
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Boston was the least blocked team in the NBA during the season, but this value is too good to pass up. These are the longest odds we've seen all playoffs for Evan Mobley to go Over 1.5 blocks. Against the Orlando Magic, his odds were rarely longer than -135.
While he only blocked one shot in Game 1 against the Celtics, the 6-foot-11, 215-pound big man has the wingspan and lateral movement skills to disrupt shots from all over the court. He can stretch so far to take away looks that it almost appears like Mister Fantastic is hooping.
Mobley's averaging 2.8 blocks in the playoffs and closed out the Orlando series with back-to-back 5-block games, and I think he'll be more impactful against Boston in Game 2. These odds imply a 50% probability the prop hits with a $10 bet paying out $20.
Best odds: +100 via BetMGM
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It's pretty clear at this point that Luka Doncic's knee injury in the Mavericks' opening series against the Los Angeles Clippers is more detrimental than has been let on. While Doncic is so absurdly talented that he's still putting up numbers most players could only dream of, he's not able to play like some sort of Dirk Nowitzki-Jason Kidd hybrid.
Doncic's range has been most impacted, as he shot just 8-for-49 (16.3%) from three since Game 3 against the Clippers. In his last five playoff games, he's averaging just 44.8 combined points, rebounds, and assists and has only gone Over 50.5 once.
The Thunder are also a talented defense that finished fourth in defensive rating this season (112.1), which is why this prop is as short as -122, implying a 54.95% probability it hits. But our odds pay out $20 on a $10 bet.
Best odds: +100 via bet365
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Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was a lock by the NBA Coach of the Year odds because of his ability to develop Oklahoma City's young talent. One such talent is Jalen Williams and he's elevated his game in his first career postseason.
Williams shot an impressive 42.7% from behind the arc during the season, but was only taking 3.4 attempts per game, he's upped it in the playoffs. The former Santa Clara star is has gone 7-for-15 (46.6%) in his last three games and has hit at least two threes in each outing.
This Mavs defense has been iffy all year and allowed the 11th-most 3-pointers per game in the regular season (13.1). At this price, I love the prop too much to pass on it. A $10 bet pays out $21, with the odds implying a 47.62% probability it hits.
Best odds: +110 via FanDuel
NBA player props made Thursday at 10:20 a.m. ET.
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