The NBA Playoffs continue Tuesday night with three games on the schedule. The Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns look to take 3-2 leads in their respective series on their home floor. We’ll be looking at a pair of key players in those crucial Game 5 matchups.
Using the Action Labs Player Prop tool, I have laid out two prop bets that I’m playing, the case for each bet and the best books to find odds on those player props.
Let’s get right to it.
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NBA Player Props & Picks
Desmond Bane, Over 3.5 3-Pointers (-130)
| Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies | Grizzlies -6 |
| Time | TV | 7:30 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Best Book | Caesars |
The Grizzlies are back on their home floor for Game 5 in a roller coaster series against the Timberwolves. Ja Morant has struggled to score the basketball for Grizzles through five games because the Wolves have done a great job of containing Morant and limiting his ability to finish around the basket.
However, Desmond Bane has stepped in a big way scoring and shooting the ball. Bane leads the Grizzlies in made 3-pointers per game (4.8) in the first round — he’s also third in the postseason behind Klay Thompson and Devin Booker.
After a modest start in the first two games, Bane has knocked down at least seven 3-point shots for the Grizzlies in Games 3 and 4. He has shot 15-of-27 combined from the 3-point line.
The Grizzlies have essentially let Bane shoot uncontested for much of the series. He’s taken 39 3s in the series and 32 of those attempts were either open or wide open, per NBA Advanced Stats. I like Bane to continue his scorching hot shooting in Game 5.
DeAndre Ayton, Over 20.5 Points (-115)
| Pelicans vs. Suns | Suns -6.5 |
| Time | TV | 10 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Best Book | PointsBet |
The Suns are still without their All-Star shooting guard, Devin Booker, who is dealing with a hamstring injury that will keep him out for the rest of the series.
Deandre Ayton has stepped up in a big way in this series without Booker with a 28-point performance in Game 3 and 23 points in Game 4. He is averaging 17 shot attempts in the two games without Booker.
The Suns have made it priority to get their third-best offensive player involved in the game to make up for the missing scoring. Despite having face lengthy Pelicans defenders Jaxson Hayes and Jonas Valanciunas, Ayton has done a great job getting to his spot and scoring the ball for the Suns.
In fact, according to NBA Advanced Stats, the Pelicans rank last among playoff teams in opponent points inside the paint and Ayton is averaging 15 per game in the paint. The former No. 1 overall pick will be key to the Suns’ success in this series. I will take Ayton to continue his scoring streak on their home floor in pivotal Game 5.