Aside from the play-in game for the West’s 8-seed, Tuesday is the first day in the NBA restart to have less than four games on its card. Can Luka Doncic continue his dominance in Game 5 of the LA Clippers–Dallas Mavericks series? Will the Denver Nuggets stave off elimination by the Utah Jazz in Game 5?
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.
Utah Jazz and LA Clippers both win (+130)
The Nuggets entered this series as BetMGM’s favorite because of the seeding, Utah’s performance in the bubble prior to the playoffs, and the injury to the Jazz’s second-leading scorer, SF Bojan Bogdanović.
But what bookmakers failed to account for in their pricing was Utah’s edge over Denver in the two things that matter most in the NBA currently: 3-point shooting and getting to the foul line. The Jazz were the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA during the regular season and are tied with the Toronto Raptors for the best 3-point % in the playoffs (.433%).
Utah the 10th-highest free throw rate in the NBA during the regular season and Denver was ranked 26th. In this series, the Jazz have attempted 102 free throws and the Nuggets have just 65 free-throw attempts.
And, yes the loss of Bogdanović hurts the Jazz, the Nuggets’ injuries are what’s doing them in this series. Donovan Mitchell is wreaking absolute havoc on Denver’s backcourt that is without SG Will Barton and SG Gary Harris.
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It’s a little surprising Luka is so effective in his first career postseason, but not shocking because the dude has “superstar” written all over him. The Clippers are without defensive menace — PG Pat Beverley — and it’s hurting their defensive scheme.
Los Angeles fully healthy is usually content switching on screens for ballhandlers, but we see what happens when PG Reggie Jackson gets switched onto Luka. Gametime. Dallas is a legitimate threat to Los Angeles and Game 5 is the time when the Clippers leader — Kawhi Leonard — puts the team on his back.
Paul George has basketball’s version of the yips: George is averaging just 15.3 points per game on .290% field goal and .222 3-point shooting. Leonard and the Clippers can boohoo later about George’s ineffectiveness but on Tuesday they’ll take back control of the series.
TAKE CLIPPERS & JAZZ IN A MONEYLINE PARLAY (+130). New to sports betting? A $100 bet on the Clippers and Jazz moneyline parlay (+130) pays a $130 profit if both Los Angeles and Utah win its Game 5s.
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