June 10th NBA Props – Best Player Prop Bets for Bucks vs Nets Game 3 & Jazz vs Clippers Game 2
- Thursday’s NBA playoff schedule features the Bucks vs Nets Game 3 and Clippers vs Jazz Game 2
- It’s must-win territory for Milwaukee after falling 2-0 down in the series, while the Clippers are looking to bounce back from a dramatic loss in Game 1
- Read below for the latest player props for Thursday’s games and a couple of picks
The NBA is treating us to two massive games on Thursday night. Despite losing comprehensively in the first two, the Milwaukee Bucks are favored in Game 3 as the series heads to Wisconsin. Brooklyn is still without James Harden and Jeff Green. No team has ever comeback from 3-0 down in the NBA playoffs – this is must-win for the Bucks.
Out west, it’s advantage Utah. A clutch block from Rudy Gobert sealed a series lead for the Jazz. Despite the brilliance of Kawhi Leonard in the first round, the Clippers are underdogs for Game 2. Los Angeles can shoot the ball much better than they did in the series opener, and they will need to if they are to avoid falling down 2-0 again.
June 10th NBA Player Props
| BKN vs MIL | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Durant (BKN) | 32.5 (O -106 | U -116) | 9.5 (O +112 | U -138) | 5.5 (O -130 | U +106) | 3.5 (O +120 | U -154) |
| Kyrie Irving (BKN) | 28.5 (O -110 | U -110) | 4.5 (O -148 | U +120) | 6.5 (O -114 | U -106) | 3.5 (O -142 | U +112) |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | 32.5 (O -112 | U -110) | 13.5 (O +110 | U -134) | 5.5 (O +108 | U -132) | 1.5 (O +124 | U -158) |
| Khris Middleton (MIL) | 22.5 (O -108 | U -112) | 6.5 (O -105 | U -115) | 4.5 (O -106 | U -114) | 2.5 (O -122 | U -104) |
| LAC vs UTA | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three Pointers Made |
| Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | 27.5 (O -116 | U -106) | 7.5 (O -128 | U +104) | 4.5 (O -132 | U +108) | 1.5 (O -172 | U +134) |
| Paul George (LAC) | 23.5 (O -116 | U -106) | 7.5 (O -128 | U +104) | 4.5 (O -104 | U -118) | 2.5 (O -111 | U -115) |
| Donovan Mitchell (UTA) | 31.5 (O -106 | U -116) | 4.5 (O -106 | U -114) | 5.5 (O -118 | U -104) | 3.5 (O +108 | U -138) |
| Rudy Gobert (UTA) | 13.5 (O -104 | U -116) | 13.5 (O +104 | U -128) | 1.5 (O +164 | U -205) | OFF |
Odds as of June 10th
Middleton Bounces Back
Much has been made of Khris Middleton’s drop off in efficiency in the postseason. He’s had a brutal start to this series, shooting 30.2% from the field. The Bucks need Middleton to be better, and it’s reasonable to expect a marked uptick in his scoring even if he’s still shy of his regular season numbers.
The All-Star wing has scored 30 points in this series, despite the quality of his looks suggesting he should be at almost 50. The pressure of the playoffs, the workload on defense and random cold shooting are all understandable factors in his struggles.
Paul George and Khris Middleton in the Playoffs pic.twitter.com/8qkcD21XLr
— Depressed Warriors Fan (@GoIdenState) June 9, 2021
On first glance, 22.5 seems ludicrously high. Middleton has passed that mark just once in the postseason, but much of that can be attributed to the blowout nature of their first round wins. He wasn’t needed to be a go-to scorer. That’s not the case in the second round, however, and if the Bucks are going to win Game 3, Middleton is going to have to play massive minutes.
Milwaukee needs to up the pace. They were second in pace at 102.2 in the regular season, but they’ve been around the 98 mark throughout the playoffs. Playing quicker means more shots, and should mean more shots for Middleton.
Giannis pull-up 3s with 18 seconds on the shot clock should not be a thing.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 8, 2021
There are fundamental offensive issues with the Bucks, but they should still have performed better than they did. Improved shot-making from Middleton is a necessity, and the quality of his shots would suggest he’s going to bounce back.
- Pick: Khris Middleton over 22.5 points (-108)
Fun Night for a Fun Guy
Utah kept Kawhi Leonard to a relatively inefficient 23 points on 19 shots in Game 1. After his heroics to turn around the serious with Dallas, this was a quiet night for the two-time Finals MVP, but it isn’t necessarily sustainable. His ShotQuality.com points per possession of 1.24 was actually higher than it was in his 45-point gem in Game 6 against the Mavericks.
– Kawhi Leonard and Paul George:
43 Points – 36% FG – 33% 3P– Donovan Mitchell:
45 Points – 53% FG – 40% 3P pic.twitter.com/dWTfhEGdnQ— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 9, 2021
Leonard was getting good shots. He just wasn’t making them. This was also a less aggressive game from the former Raptor, a game where he was often spotting up and not involved in the action.
Again, this is a trend that’s unlikely to continue. Perhaps it was a means of getting some rest after a grueling series.
In the two other games this postseason where Leonard has shot under 50% from the field, he has followed it up with 41 and 45-point outings. There were legitimate questions going into this series about how the Jazz can guard Kawhi. He’s too big and strong for Royce O’Neale. Bojan Bogdanovic doesn’t possess the lateral quickness. Rudy Gobert occasionally challenged him, but that’s a matchup Ty Lue will be happy to see.
The Clips had to ask Kawhi Leonard to guard Luka Doncic more and more as the series went on. Looks like he might have to take on the Donovan Mitchell assignment on some point, too.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 9, 2021
Leonard is averaging over four assists and just under eight boards per game in this postseason. He will be aggressive from tip-off on Thursday, looking to dominate early on. Given how he’s responded to inefficient games earlier in these playoffs, the 40.5 points, rebounds and assists line is incredibly low. Even at -120, it’s well worth backing.
- Pick: Kawhi Leonard over 40.5 points, rebounds and assists (-120)
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
