The NBA Finals resume tonight with Game 2 of the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns. Among the plethora of betting options for those interested in having action on the game is the NBA player props market. After getting a first look at the two teams matched up against one another with a championship on the line, bettors can use this newfound intel when making betting picks. Read on for some NBA betting tips today, a trio of prop odds and picks for tonight’s matchup, including a prediction for Chris Paul.
NBA Betting Prediction: NBA Player Props | July 8
Jrue Holiday Over 4.5 Rebounds
Jrue Holiday was everywhere in Game 1 on the NBA Finals. He came within striking distance of a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. This play is going to focus on that last statistical category. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo making a surprise return, Holiday remained very active on the glass Tuesday night. Tonight’s NBA betting odds have his rebound total at 4.5. Based on what Holiday has done recently, it is safe to say that is a rather cheap number.
One would have to go all the way back to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals to find the last time that Holiday failed to exceed 4.5 rebounds in a game. While the recent performances have directly coincided with Giannis being out of the lineup, it is worth noting that Holiday came up big on the boards in Milwaukee’s Round 2 series as well. The Suns were quietly one of the weakest rebounding teams in the NBA this season. Somewhat hefty juice is required on this over, but bettors should trust that Holiday will step up once again tonight.
Chris Paul Under 22.5 Points
For those who bet on Chris Paul to win NBA Finals MVP, those tickets are certainly looking fine after Game 1. Paul did more than stockpile assists on Tuesday night; he complemented his nine assists with a game-high 32 points. Having finally reached the grand stage of the Finals, it appears Paul is determined to make the most of it. While Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is not exactly the sharpest coach when it comes to defensive adjustments, one has to believe Milwaukee will focus more on Paul tonight. This combined with Paul’s stats suggest including the under on 22.5 total points among tonight’s betting picks.
The Awesemo NBA Player Props Tool loves playing under on Paul’s total points prop tonight. One reason for bettors to aim for the under on 22.5 is the fact that this total sits a full point lower elsewhere in the betting market. In addition, Paul only averaged 16.4 points per game over the course of the regular season. While he had solid games in both meetings against the Bucks, this prop line is well above his typical scoring output. Paul has exploded in other games this postseason. Even so, 22.5 points is a threshold he has failed to clear in three of the Suns’ last five games.
Mikal Bridges Over 1.5 Assists
Mikal Bridges had a solid showing on Tuesday night, scoring 14 points. He also had one assist in the win. Tonight’s line has Bridges’ total assists prop set at 1.5. Although he came up just shy in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Bridges has recorded at least two assists in five of the last eight games. He averaged 2.1 assists per contest during the regular season as well. The ball was predominantly in the hands of Paul and Devin Booker on Tuesday. While such will likely be the case again tonight, the potential payout on Bridges to simply dish multiple assists makes the over a worthwhile prediction.
Thanks for reading to the end of this article! If you appreciate this free content and want to see more of it every day, you can help us out by sharing this article on social media!
Check out Stokastic's Best Bets home page for more sports betting picks and predictions.
