We have three player props for Thursday night, as I'll be focusing on a trio of key players who could be in line for noteworthy performances in Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers tonight.
Continue below for my NBA Finals player props for Thursday, June 19.
NBA Finals Player Props for Thursday, June 19
- Tyrese Haliburton Under 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (+145)
- T.J. McConnell Over 10.5 Points (-105)
- Aaron Nesmith Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds (-105)
Tyrese Haliburton Under 1.5 Three-Pointers Made
Thunder vs. Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET
We cannot overlook the potential impact of Tyrese Haliburton's calf injury when selecting our player props.
Haliburton retreated to the locker room toward the end of the first quarter of Game 5 and then returned to the bench with a noticeable wrap around his leg.
The injury clearly affected the Pacers' starting point guard as he failed to register a single field goal, finishing with just four points in 34 minutes on the court.
While Haliburton is doing everything he possibly can to play in Game 6, the quick turnaround time suggests he likely won't be anywhere close to 100%.
It's worth noting that Haliburton had the worst plus-minus (-13) of any Pacers starter in Game 5, and it wouldn't surprise me if the injury continues to limit his ability to perform at a high level.
A calf strain can be particularly detrimental for basketball players, as they rely on their legs to achieve the necessary lift for their jump shots.
Haliburton has a 3-point field goal prop of 1.5, and he has completed just one of his last 11 3-point attempts.
Shooting the basketball becomes increasingly challenging the farther you are from the rim. If Haliburton can't generate much lift, he'll have a flatter shot while struggling to get the ball over a defender.
Oklahoma City's defense entered the postseason with the highest rate of contested 3-pointers (18.9) per game, which should make things even tougher for a player like Haliburton, who might be lacking in fitness and confidence at the moment.
Therefore, I'll take a shot that Haliburton stays under his 3-point prop of 1.5.
Pick: Tyrese Haliburton under 1.5 3-point field goals (+145 at bet365)
T.J. McConnell Over 10.5 Points
Thunder vs. Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET
If we're looking to fade Haliburton, it makes sense to throw our support behind his backup, who could play a significant role in running the Pacers' offense.
T.J. McConnell had his best performance of the series with 18 points in Game 5.
His +4 plus-minus was also better than any of Indiana's starters and the second-best on the team behind Bennedict Mathurin.
However, Mathurin shot just 2-of-11 from the floor compared to 8-of-14 from McConnell.
What's even more impressive about McConnell's performance is that it occurred on the road.
Thus, with Game 6 switching back to Indiana, I'd suspect he'll feel even more comfortable in front of his home fans.
The backup point guard logged 22 minutes, which was also a series high for him, and his effectiveness could warrant some more playing time, especially if Haliburton is limited due to the injury.
McConnell's scoring prop is available at 10.5, and that prop line feels within reach if we anticipate that he'll get similar minutes for Game 6.
Pick: T.J. McConnell Over 10.5 Points (-105 at BetMGM)
Aaron Nesmith Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds (-105)
Thunder vs. Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET
With Haliburton's status uncertain, the Pacers will need some production from other players in the starting lineup.
Forward Aaron Nesmith has the potential to put forth a big performance, given his 30-point effort on 9-of-13 shooting in Game 1 against New York in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Nesmith has a points + rebounds prop of 16.5 — a number he has cleared in four of his last five games.
More importantly, he has had success clearing this line in six of his last eight meetings against the Thunder, averaging 17.13 points + rebounds with a median of 18.5.
This is no small feat considering that OKC has arguably been the best defensive team over the last two seasons.
Nesmith is Indiana's best 3-point threat, shooting a blistering 43.1% during the regular season and 50.4% in the playoffs.
He has one of the quickest releases in the league and ranked ninth (44.7%) in the league among players with at least 150 attempts on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.
Therefore, Nesmith can heat up in a big way, and he's a reasonably consistent rebounder on a Pacers team that's not particularly known for attacking the glass.
If the Pacers are going to have any chance of forcing a Game 7, I'm willing to take a chance that Nesmith will be somewhere in the mix.
Pick: Aaron Nesmith Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds (-105 at BetMGM)
