The NBA Playoffs are back with another doubleheader on Sunday as the Knicks and 76ers kick things off with Philadelphia trying to avoid a series sweep. Our primetime matchup features a Western Conference matchup with the Timberwolves hosting the Spurs as they try to knot the series at two games apiece.
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: Sunday, May 10
- Knicks vs 76ers – Top Scorer: Tyrese Maxey (+287)
- Spurs vs Timberwolves – 3-Point Leader: Julian Champagnie (+690)
Knicks vs 76ers Top Scorer Bet
The 76ers desperately need their stars to step up as they face playoff elimination in front of their home fans. Philadelphia center Joel Embiid is clearly not 100%, as he already missed Game 2 and is averaging just 16 points on 10-of-28 (35.7%) shooting after averaging 28 points in the first round against the Celtics.
Yet somehow, Embiid (+211) has the second-shortest odds for most points behind New York's Jalen Brunson (+167).
This stop-start storyline for Embiid during the playoffs feels all too familiar, as his body always seems to break down at this stage of the season. As a result, he is completely untrustworthy in this spot to put on a big performance.
A better option would be to back Embiid's teammate, Tyrese Maxey, to finish the game as our top scorer.
Maxey is averaging 39.3 minutes in the series and was a co-top scorer along with Brunson in Game 2.
The 76ers aren't afraid to push Maxey to the limit, as he logged at least 40 minutes of action in six of the seven games against Boston.
As the point guard, Maxey is likely to dominate the ball, ideally making himself the first scoring option.
It certainly doesn't hurt that he also led the 76ers in scoring this season with 28.3 points per game (PPG).
While his playoff numbers are slightly down at 24.4 PPG, he remains the 76ers' best offensive threat and a legitimate contender to lead all players in points.
Pick: Top Scorer: Tyrese Maxey (+287)
Spurs vs Timberwolves 3-Point Leader
You're not going to make much change backing Victor Wembanyama when he's coming off a 39-point performance with 15 rebounds in Game 3. The Frenchman is always a threat to dominate the box score, making it difficult to find value in our game leaders category whenever he steps on the court.
However, picking a 3-point leader does offer a bit more variance because it's the one area where Wembanyama should have some competition.
It's worth noting that three of the four players with the shortest odds for most 3-pointers are all members of the San Antonio Spurs.
Since the start of this series, the Timberwolves are tied for the second-worst 3-point shooting percentage (34.4%). This isn't entirely a surprise because the Spurs were a top-10 team in 3-point defense during the regular season.
Given those numbers, we can almost rule out Minnesota's players as our 3-point leader.
That leaves us with the San Antonio Spurs, and guard Julius Champagnie looks the best out of the bunch.
Vassell ranked second on the Spurs with 6.2 3-point attempts during the regular season, and he's also a 38.1% perimeter shooter.
In Game 2, the St. John's product sank four of his six 3-point attempts and is shooting 55% from beyond the arc this postseason.
With Champagnie's odds priced at +690, he's somewhat undervalued compared to bigger-name players like Wembanyama and Minnesota's Anthony Edwards.
Pick: Most 3-Pointers: Julian Champagnie (+690)
