Although we had to wait until the final game on Thursday to cash our ticket for a game leader, Donte DiVincenzo to finish with the most 3-pointers at +433 was a decent return to close out the night.
One interesting takeaway was that all three teams won on their home court, which should make these series more competitive as they unfold.
Our approach for this preview won't necessarily be to break down these individual matchups. Instead, we'll seek to highlight players that offer the best value in the DraftKings Game Leaders market.
NBA Game Leader Picks, Predictions: Thursday, April 23
- Celtics vs 76ers Most 3-Pointers Made – Tyrese Maxey (+413) / Jaylen Brown (+1880)
- Lakers vs Rockets Most 3-Pointers Made – Luke Kennard (+533)
Celtics vs 76ers 3-Point Leader Prediction
The 76ers really surprised me with their away victory (111-97) in Game 2 as a 13.5-point underdog.
Philadelphia had four of its five starters finish in double figures, while Andre Drummond chipped in with 10 points off the bench. In comparison, Boston had just two players who recorded 10 or more points.
One of Boston's biggest criticisms is that it can be too reliant on its perimeter game. The Celtics continued chucking up 3-pointers despite shooting just 26% (13-of-50) from beyond the arc.
You can be sure the environment won't be any easier when they enter the hostile confines of the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Jaylen Brown was the only Celtic who shot well from the perimeter, hitting 5-of-12 3-pointers on the night.
However, 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe narrowly edged out teammate Tyrese Maxey and Brown with six 3-point field goals on the night.
Maxey averaged 8.6 3-point attempts during the regular season, which was three more than Edgecombe put up. The Kentucky product has the second-shortest odds at +413 to finish with the most threes.
Action PRO projects Maxey for 3.5 3-pointers tonight.
Boston's Jayson Tatum is the favorite despite shooting a career-worst 32.9% from distance during the regular season and going just 3-for-15 (20%) in the two playoff games.
While the smart money here is on Maxey at +413, Brown does have some mouthwatering odds we can't dismiss at +1880.
Since I love a punt, let's get a bit aggressive here by making two picks for the most 3-pointers.
Pick: Most 3-Pointers Made: Tyrese Maxey (+413)
Bonus: Most 3-Pointers Made: Jaylen Brown (+1880)
Lakers vs Rockets 3-Point Leader Prediction
The Rockets could regret not taking their chances against a shorthanded Lakers team missing two starters, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Houston lost both games in Los Angeles, and now Reaves could return in Game 3, with his status upgraded to questionable.
If Reaves does play, starting him would be a big call for Lakers head coach JJ Redick. Would Reddick shuffle his lineup by swapping Reaves in for Marcus Smart or Luke Kennard?
Kennard actually leads the Lakers in scoring (25.0) through two games despite only averaging nine points during the regular season.
The former Duke product is the best perimeter player in this series and is a career 44.2% shooter from distance. Having him on the court helps to provide the proper spacing for Los Angeles.
Kennard has the fourth-shortest odds for most 3-pointers, and he's simply not getting enough love from the bookmakers if you ask me.
Houston's Reed Sheppard is the favorite (+436), but he only logged 11 minutes off the bench in Game 2 with Kevin Durant back in the starting lineup.
When asked why Sheppard got so few minutes, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said he didn't want to disrupt his team's defensive chemistry.
"No, I think we were guarding well enough, and with the unit that we had in," Udoka said. "We went one small and switched a lot of the actions. So I stayed with that. Holding them to 101 is good enough. We just didn't score."
Udoka's comments might also suggest he views Sheppard as a bit of a defensive matchup liability in this series.
Nonetheless, it's worth noting that Sheppard went scoreless on the night, missing all four of his shot attempts. The second-year player is shooting just 6-for-26 (25%) to start the playoffs.
With his confidence potentially waning and a coach seemingly lacking trust, Sheppard's odds feel a bit inflated, thereby creating value on Kennard at +533.
Pick: Most 3-Pointers Made: Luke Kennard (+533)
