NBA Playoff PrizePicks: How to Play LeBron James, Kevin Huerter in Game 5 (April 26)

It's going to be an awesome Wednesday for the NBA Playoffs with four games on the slate. It sets up the perfect scenario to capitalize on PrizePicks.

A quick refresher if you aren’t familiar with PrizePicks: you can combine up to five different player squares to payout up to 10x your entry.

You can do a Flex Play or a Power Play. A Flex Play gives you lesser odds, but you can win money if you do not nail every pick. A Power Play is all-or-nothing.

Here’s how I would approach today’s slate in NBA Playoffs slate.

What is PrizePicks? A daily fantasy operator — meaning they’re available in more states (30) than sports betting is! — PrizePicks offers a unique opportunity for action on player props in which you parlay two or more plays together.

LeBron James More Than 9.5 Rebounds

We were on LeBron James' rebounds on Monday night at 9.5 and he obliterated that projection with a career-high 20 rebounds. Once again his rebounds are projected 9.5 and James has now cleared this projection in three of five meetings against the Grizzlies this season, averaging 12.2 rebounds. He had nine rebounds in the other two meetings.

I also love his rebounds here because the Grizzlies and Lakers are both rugged and defensive-minded teams. They are playing tough and physical playoff basketball. It is hard for both teams to score, with the full game total going under in two of the first four games. Game four needed overtime to hit the over. More missed shots lead to more rebound chances and I expect James to continue taking advantage of the undersized Grizzlies on the glass.

Kevin Huerter Less Than 14.5 Points

One thing I have noticed throughout the first four games in this series is Kings head coach Mike Brown is going to ride with Malik Monk, who is averaging 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 28.3 minutes per game. That means it has been Huerter or Keegan Murray who have seen their minutes and number dip. Brown had a quick hook for Murray in Games 1 and 2 and he played 16 minutes in both games. He has played 22 minutes and 33 minutes in the last two games. Murray came alive in Game 4 with 23 points, seven rebounds, and knocked down five 3s.

Now if you're looking for a player to have a good scoring performance, I would say to take Monk. However, I believe fading Huerter is a good call also. Huerter played 31 minutes in Game 1, but that has since dwindled to 30, 29, and 20 over the last three games. He is averaging nine points per game and scored below this projection three of the first four games in this series. He is shooting 14% from deep and attempted two free throws in the entire series. He went 1-for-2 from the free throw line in Game 2 and finished with 15 points, to go top this projection by exactly one point.

The plot twist to the whole rotation is the injury to De'Aaron Fox, however  he is going to try to play through a fractured left index finger. Given his will, Fox may have to dragged out of a game of this magnitude. However, if Fox cannot go, another candidate for more minutes is Davion Mitchell. He is by far the Kings best perimeter defender and has the lateral quickness to stay with Stephen Curry, who is averaging 32.3 points per game against the Kings in this series.

If Huerter starts slow again in the first quarter, he could lose minutes again to the trio of Monk, Murray, and Mitchell. If that is the case, he likely does not score 15 points.