In Game 1, the stars showed up, as Deni Avdija had 30 points and 10 rebounds and Victor Wembanyama had 35 points and made five 3-pointers. However, the Spurs took Game 1 111-98 on Sunday. Avdija will look to his backcourt for support as the Trail Blazers try to salvage a split before heading back to Portland.
The Rockets will also be looking to head back home with their series tied. It would certainly help their chances if they get Kevin Durant back tonight, as he is still questionable for tonight's game. If he does go, he will have the battle with his longtime friend LeBron James that fans have been looking forward to.
Let's get into my NBA Same Game Parlay Strategy Guide for Trail Blazers vs. Spurs and Rockets vs. Lakers on Tuesday night.
NBA Same Game Parlay Strategy Guide for Trail Blazers vs Spurs
The Angle: Blazers Try to Solve Guard Rotation
Jrue Holiday Under 15.5 Points
The Trail Blazers have depth at the guard positions, and they will be even deeper next season when they get Damian Lillard back. Unfortunately for them, they have been without more than just Lillard for large stretches of this season.
Jrue Holiday missed two months with a hamstring injury. Scoot Henderson did not debut until February, and in that game Shaedon Sharpe got hurt and missed two months before returning near the end of the regular season.
Now Holiday, Henderson and Sharpe are healthy, and head coach Tiago Splitter has to figure out roles for all of them and opportunities behind Deni Avdija. Of late, Holiday and Henderson have been starting, while Sharpe has been playing 20 minutes or so off the bench. Holiday got the most minutes in Game 1 (36), but he also struggled the most.
He went 4-for-15 from the field and 1-for-7 from three and was limited to nine points. Holiday has scored 13 points or fewer in three of his last five games, two of which have been against the Spurs. While Holiday may shoot better from the field tonight, he has averaged 11 points in two games against the Spurs this season.
He has a difficult and tiring assignment defending De'Aaron Fox in this series, while the Spurs have strong defenders on the perimeter. That may keep him under 16 points again.
Pick: Jrue Holiday Under 15.5 Points
The Contrarian SGP: Holiday Under, Henderson & Sharpe Overs
Scoot Henderson 10+ Points
Starting next to Holiday, Henderson scored 18 points in Game 1. He has scored 10+ points in seven of his last 10 games while averaging 14.8 points per game. Even in the three misses, he was stuck on nine points.
Henderson has always been confident in himself, believing he should have been the No. 1 pick over Wembanyama. While the Spurs have no reason at all to regret that pick, Henderson has scored 10+ points in six of his last eight games against them. He has averaged 14.8 points per game in that span, scoring 18 points in four of those games.
Pick: Scoot Henderson 10+ Points
Shaedon Sharpe 10+ Points
In 42 games as a starter this season, Sharpe averaged nearly 22 points in 30 minutes per game. His line is so low currently because he is on a minutes limit as he works back from a leg injury, but that is on the rise. Sharpe has seen increased minutes in each of the last four games, getting up to 21 minutes in the last two games.
He has scored 12 and 10 points in each of his last two games. On Sunday, he did not shoot very well from the field, going 4-for-13. However, he also had a 28.7% usage rate.
If Sharpe is tasked with being Portland's sixth man for the time being, he will be asked to provide instant offense. When he gets going, he can score in bunches, so 10 points should be easy for him to clear in 20+ minutes. However, he may offer some value with his ladder as well.
Pick: Shaedon Sharpe 10+ Points
Same Game Parlay Building Blocks (+430)
- Jrue Holiday Under 15.5 Points
- Scoot Henderson 10+ Points
- Shaedon Sharpe 10+ Points
Compounding Angle (+2300)
- Jrue Holiday Under 15.5 Points
- Scoot Henderson 15+ Points
- Shaedon Sharpe 15+ Points
NBA Same Game Parlay Strategy Guide for Rockets vs Lakers
The Angle: Legends Duel in Game 2
Kevin Durant 25+ Points
Kevin Durant's leadership is often called into question, but the Rockets looked like a mess without him on Saturday. They clearly missed his shotmaking ability, as they shot just 38% from the field and largely looked like last year's group, but without both Durant and Jalen Green. If Durant returns tonight, his offense will be sorely needed, and I would be surprised if he does not take 20 shots.
Durant averaged 26 points per game, and he has hit 25 points in 58% of his games this season. He closed the regular season scoring 25 points in seven of his last 10 games while averaging 26.3 points per game. The Lakers are 29th in points allowed to small forwards and 19th against power forwards.
That means Durant will be returning for a great matchup. He has scored 30 points in three of his last 10 games, and he has 29 30-point games this season. He has also averaged 29.3 points in 170 career playoff games. That means his ladder will be in play tonight as well.
Pick: Kevin Durant Over 25+ Points
The Contrarian SGP: LeBron Overs, Rockets Moneyline
LeBron James 8+ Rebounds / 10+ Assists
As the Lakers try to get out of the first round without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, LeBron James has a lot on his plate. In Game 1, he only scored 19 points, but he was still the best player on the floor. He scored or assisted on 13 of the Lakers' first 17 points as they made six of their first seven shots. He finished with 13 assists and also pulled down eight rebounds.
James easily cleared his RA line, and it is 15.5 tonight. However, playing his rebounds and assists separately helps us extract a little more value. In six games without Reaves and Doncic this season, James has averaged 7.3 rebounds and 10.8 assists. When playing 30 minutes without both of them, he has eight rebounds and 10 assists in four of five games.
Without Doncic and Reaves, James has a 35% usage rate, and a 32.5% usage rate without just Doncic. Both are a substantial jump from his 23.8% usage rate when playing with both of them this season. James has had 10 assists in nine of 12 games without Doncic this season.
Without both of them, James is responsible for most of the decisions for the Lakers' offense. As long as he is aggressive on the glass, he should clear both of these lines.
Pick: LeBron James 8+ Rebounds, LeBron James 10+ Assists
Rockets Moneyline
This pick is contingent on Durant playing, but I consider it a must-win game for the Rockets. Despite the Lakers being down Doncic and Reaves, I consider tonight a must-win game for the Rockets because they are not a team I would trust to win four of five games, given their struggles in clutch time. So I anticipate Durant playing so they avoid an 0-2 hole.
However, I also found it interesting that even though the Lakers shot 61% in Game 1, they only scored 107 points. The Rockets were sixth in defensive rating in the regular season, so I do not expect the Lakers to shoot 60% from the field too often in this series. They also sounded intent on slowing Luke Kennard after he torched them on Saturday.
Additionally, this is the fourth time Durant and James have met in the playoffs, but the first time not in the NBA Finals. Durant has a 9-5 record against James in those meetings. Getting him back will boost the Rockets' offense, and with a better defensive effort, this series should be even heading back to Houston.
Pick: Rockets Moneyline
Same Game Parlay Building Blocks (+1200)
- Kevin Durant 25+ Points
- LeBron James 8+ Rebounds
- LeBron James 10+ Assists
- Rockets Moneyline
Compounding Angle (+3500)
- Kevin Durant 30+ Points
- LeBron James 8+ Rebounds
- LeBron James 12+ Assists
- Rockets Moneyline
