Yesterday was a rough outing for the Indiana Pacers, and therefore our NBA best bets and player props yesterday. The Same Game Parlay was only a few points away from success, but such is betting at times. Myles Turner was in foul trouble early, and avoided playing defense in addition to not contesting for rebounds. It was truly remarkable to watch, as even teammate Pascal Siakam was in shock at the lack of effort. 

 

 

 

Tyrese Haliburton experienced leg soreness and did not play much of the second half. It was another high scoring game, with several field goals and the point total was covered. Jrue Holiday had 10 points in the first half of the game, easily doing his part. The Pacers could not cover the original spread, much less a teased down spread. 

The loss of Haliburton was too much for the Pacers to overcome. Indiana even went scoreless in the beginning of the second quarter when Haliburton was resting on the bench, and the Pacers could not recover with their second unit.

NBA Picks & Predictions, 5/24: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Game 2

The Minnesota Timberwolves are down 0-1 in the Western Conference Finals and will be bringing the energy tonight. Despite only having one day’s rest, they are further removed from the emotional drain of their Game 7 win.

With film study and practice adjustments, they can focus exclusively on the task at hand, which is winning tonight. So, let’s bust right into today’s NBA predictions.

 

 

 

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Under 207.5 Total Points (-110 on DraftKings)

If the Timberwolves are going to win this game, they must play better defense. Although the Timberwolves had great scoring performances against the Mavericks in the regular season, the NBA playoffs truly is a different season. The averages are different, the playing time by the starters are different, and the atmosphere is different. 

The Timberwolves scored 105 points in Game 1, and that is not going to be enough with average defensive play. The Mavericks are a great offensive team, and have an underrated defense. Anthony Edwards was visibly tired during the fourth quarter and admittingly said defending Kyrie Irving requires a lot of effort.

One thing is almost guaranteed to happen in this game: the Minnesota Timberwolves are not going to attempt 49 threes again. 54 of their 105 points came from three-point field goals and it was not enough to surpass Luka Doncic and Irving’s 63 points. They will have to find a way to slow them down and force the ball into other people’s hands. This will take a lot of energy from Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves top two playoff scorers.

If the Timberwolves cannot stop Doncic and Irving, they will very likely lose this game, and all but ensure they lose the series. It would also mean this wager is not successful. With so much weight on this game for the Timberwolves, the best defense of the 2023-24 season will be asked to rise to the moment.  

Expect a fast scoring and tough defensive first quarter that should set the tone for the rest of the game. That tone should help the total come under 207.5 points tonight and get the NBA best bets Bet of the Night back where it belongs… in the win column.

 

 

 

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves SGP: Gobert & Gafford O1.5 Blocks Each + Doncic & Edwards O1.5 Threes Made Each (+400 on ESPN Bet) 

This is our first four-fold parlay of the Conference Finals, and it is a nice-looking Same Game Parlay. It is a four-player prop with odds of +400. The players are starting centers Rudy Gobert and Daniel Gafford paired with the faces of the franchises, Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic.

They each need to record two in their category for the bet to be successful. A total of 8 statistics combined, so each statistic that makes it in the books represents a half a unit gain towards the goal. Of course, the bet does have to be successful for the cash out, but it is a fun way to bet on tonight’s game.

The rationale behind this bet is that it is essentially a bet on Daniel Gafford to have two blocks. Rudy Gobert has two blocks in three of his last four games, and with such an important game for Minnesota, Gobert should have a great defensive performance. 

Luka Doncic has made two or more threes in his last four games, and five of his last six games. Anthony Edwards has made two or more threes in three straight games and five of his last six games as well. Doncic and Edwards have each attempted 36 threes in their last four games, an average of nine per game. That is unlikely to change tonight with both teams having great defensive front courts.

So, this brings us back to Gafford, starting center for the Dallas Mavericks. Although he is the starter, he played six fewer minutes than rookie Derek Lively II in Game 1. Lively II is an amazing young center and Fantasy Alarm NBA Best Bets placed multiple wagers on him during the first month of the NBA season. As mentioned in Wednesday’s NBA picks, Gafford and Lively are and have been the best 1-2 center combo of the 2024 playoffs.

Gafford was one rebound shy of a double-double, and Lively was one point short of a double-double. They compliment the Dallas starters well, and there is not a drop off in performance regardless of who’s on the court. Some may see this as hampering Gafford’s chances of earning two blocks, but that is not necessarily true.

Gafford has at least one block in his last seven games, and eight of his last nine. He is a young big man that knows how to anticipate his opponent's delivery and send the ball back from whence it came. He also has played the Timberwolves just two nights ago and will be more familiar with their rhythm. 

Aiding to that fact is that the Timberwolves are utilizing an eight-man rotation for the playoffs. Gafford will know their spots, knows who likes to score closer to the paint, and he will be playing against tired legs on long rotations. 

Once again, all four players have to meet the requirements of this bet, and that can be difficult. However, the logic is there for this to be a successful ticket. To take an expression from all-time great NFL head coach Bill Belichick, “Do your job”. Gafford and Gobert need to do what centers do, and Doncic and Edwards need to do what scorers do. Should that happen, we are four units richer, just in time for the weekend’s NBA predictions.

  • Bet on our Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Same Game Parlay (+400) at ESPN Bet today!

 

 

 

Thank you for checking out my expert NBA picks for Game 2 today! Don't forget to visit Fantasy Alarm for more sports betting tips, top-notch DFS analysis, NFL best ball cheat sheets, and the most recent sports news.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy

*All odds accurate at time of writing and NBA bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise