What should be the first home games for the lower seeds is instead a continuation of the seven-game series, with four Game 3s, tipping off in the Orlando bubble Friday.
The quadruple-header features Joel Embiid trying to get his Philadelphia 76ers back into their series against the Boston Celtics and Luka Doncic versus Kawhi Leonard continues with the Dallas Mavericks meeting the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers-Mavericks is the game we’ll focus on today.
BetMGM Sportsbook has NBA odds and NBA props for all bubble games so we’re bringing you the best bet for every day of the NBA playoffs.
Kawhi to score more points than Luka (+115)
This is a specialty prop, aka “Odds Boost”, offered by only BetMGM Sportsbook.
Los Angeles owned Dallas in the regular season, going 3-0, but the Mavericks are tied 1-1 in their first-round series. You could even make the argument that the Mavericks would be up 2-0 if Kristaps Porzingis weren’t thrown out of Game 1 because of the technicality of two technical fouls.
A big reason why Dallas has looked so good is because of their MVP-contending superstar, Luka (first name basis), balling out of control in the first two games. He’s been a complete maestro out there, orchestrating the Mavericks offense to the tune of 127 points scored in their Game 2 victory.
Luka’s brilliance is made even more possible because of the injury to Clippers’ defensive force PG Pat Beverley, but that’s part of my handicap and why I actually like Kawhi to outscore him in Game 3.
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Kawhi versus Luka is the most entertaining matchup and Leonard will need to take more responsibility in guarding Luka if Los Angeles wants to get past Dallas in the first round. “The Claw,” as Kawhi is otherwise known, is no stranger to suffocating defense and if head coach Doc Rivers demands it, Leonard could oblige.
These two have played head-to-head five times this season, including the playoffs, and they’ve scored as many points in two games, Kawhi has scored more in two games and Luka has the scoring edge in the other.
Another factor in me taking Kawhi to score more points than Luka is my “fade the market” angle. BetMGM opened the line at Kawhi favored (-118), but bettors have steamed the line to Luka favored (-115).
GRAB KAWHI (+118) since it’s going against the market. The House is usually the better side to be on. New to sports betting A $100 bet on Kawhi to score more points than Luka (+118) pays a $118 profit.
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