We have three NBA props for this Wednesday, and our staff of basketball betting experts is focused on key players who could be in line for noteworthy performances in tonight's Game 2 between the Knicks and Celtics.
With the Celtics losing Game 1 in overtime after blowing a 20-point lead, we're expecting a big performance from them in Game 2. Therefore, we've identified three favorable matchups for Boston players who have a great opportunity to exceed their prop lines.
Continue below for my NBA player props for Wednesday, May 7.
NBA Player Props for Wednesday, May 7
- Payton Pritchard Over 2.5 Rebounds
- Jrue Holiday Over 13.5 Points + Assists
- Al Horford Over 11.5 Points + Rebounds
Payton Pritchard Over 2.5 Rebounds
Knicks vs. Celtics, 7:00 p.m. ET
Payton Pritchard is a player who continues to make tremendous strides for the Celtics, as he worked hard to earn the trust of head coach Joe Mazzulla. Pritchard's numbers have steadily increased over the past few seasons, and he's often the first player called off the bench to try and impact the game.
The Oregon product continues to get consistent playing time in the postseason, averaging 26.3 minutes per game.
Despite his diminutive size of 6-foot-1, Pritchard is a capable rebounder with an average of 3.8 during the regular season. His rebounding prop is available at 2.5, which he covered in 55 of 86 games (64%) this campaign.
More recently, he's been even better, as he cleared this line in 13 of his last 17 games (76%).
But against the Knicks, Pritchard is on a 6-0 run to the over with a rebounding prop of 2.5.
Boston rebounds from all five positions on the court, finishing the season ranked eighth in this category. Its guards also tend to have more rebounding opportunities because of all their long-range attempts from beyond the 3-point line.
The Celtics will likely be in a foul mood after blowing a 20-point lead roughly halfway through the third quarter. Although they lost Game 1, the market expects them to bounce back with their odds bet up from -8.5 to -10.5.
If Boston can put together a strong performance for all four quarters, there's a decent chance Pritchard sees more minutes off the bench to close the game out, giving him an excellent opportunity to clear his rebounding prop of 2.5.
Pick: Payton Pritchard over 2.5 rebounds (-140 at DraftKings)
Jrue Holiday Over 13.5 Points + Assists
Knicks vs. Celtics, 7:00 p.m. ET
Boston's Jrue Holiday isn't quite the scorer he once was, but he still knows how to take advantage of his opportunities, especially when facing a smaller guard like Jalen Brunson.
At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Holiday does have a favorable matchup against Brunson, who some might say looks a bit shorter than his 6-foot-2 listed height.
Nonetheless, Holiday has a points + assists prop of 13.5, which he has covered in 4 of his previous five home games and eight of his last 10 games overall. Against the Knicks, he has also cleared this line in four straight games.
The Celtics finished Game 1 with just 34 points inside the paint as they opted instead to launch 60 3-pointers and only made 15 of their attempts.
After the loss, Boston forward Jaylen Brown was candid in telling reporters that his team seemed content with settling for 3-point shots in the second half. Look for the Celtics to show more balance in Game 2, and it wouldn't surprise me if they mix in more high-percentage shots with Holiday getting some touches inside the paint.
Pick: Jrue Holiday over 13.5 points + assists (-115 at DraftKings)
Al Horford Over 11.5 Points + Rebounds
Knicks vs. Celtics, 7:00 p.m. ET
Celtics veteran Al Horford logged 34 minutes in Game 1 with Kristaps Porzingis unable to return after halftime due to an illness. While Boston lists Porzingis as probable on its injury report, I still think there's a chance we see a heavy dose of Horford in Game 2.
The 18-year veteran is among the most dependable players on the Celtics roster, ranking second in minutes off the bench. At times, the Celtics have even included Horford in the starting lineup alongside Porzingis, considering they have 10 combined starts this postseason.
Horford has a points + rebounds prop of 11.5, which he has covered in five straight games and 17 of his last 20. Against the Knicks, he has also cleared this line in six of his last nine meetings.
This season, Horford is covering this number at a 71% clip (47 of 66), and he should have a good chance to surpass his prop line with Boston's bench slightly limited.
Celtics forward Sam Hauser is doubtful for Game 2, and he's one of three frontcourt players to register at least 10 minutes in all six of their postseason games. With Mazzulla likely to keep his rotations small, he might not have many options other than sticking with Horford for plenty of minutes.
Pick: Al Horford over 11.5 points + rebounds (-120 at bet365)
