Lakers vs Heat Props – Best Player Prop Bets for NBA Finals Game 2

• Led by another big night from Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers took a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals on Wednesday
• Miami is waiting on the availability of Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, who are doubtful for Game 2 
• How did Game 1 performances influence the player props? Where’s the value?

The Los Angeles Lakers destroyed the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Miami took an early 13-point lead, but crumbled from then on. As we look ahead to Friday’s Game 2, we are focusing on some of the best player props available.

With a chance to see how the teams matchup, and look at adjustments Frank Vogel and Erik Spoelstra could make, there’s a whole raft of new factors to consider for these player props. Will strong Game 1 performances be replicated in Game 2? Could coaching tweaks nullify players who thrived on Wednesday?

Below are three of DraftKings’ available player props followed by some betting analysis.

Lakers vs Heat NBA Finals Game 2 Player Props and Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings on October 2nd

Davis’ Scoring

Anthony Davis just compiles points. Even on nights when it seems like he’s been quiet, you take a quick look at the box score and he’s already got 18 in the first half. He can score in so many ways and he gets to the line often. When he’s hitting threes like he did in Game 1, the Lakers are as good as unstoppable.

Davis has shot nine or more free throws in 11 of the Lakers 16 playoff games thus far. He’s good from the stripe too, shooting over 82% in the postseason. The 10 free throws in Game 1 were not anomalous – Davis is one of the best guys in the league at drawing contact, either taking the ball on the move or twisting defenders inside and out with his catalogue of post moves.

All about the squad 👑〰️ pic.twitter.com/1ETVCNTSYP

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 1, 2020

The chess match between Vogel and Spoelstra of using Bam Adebayo on Davis (or not using) was set to be one of the defining factors of this series. Adebayo didn’t spend much time as Davis’ primary defender in Game 1, and Miami’s five might not play in Game 2. If he does play, it’s unlikely he will be at his All-Star best.

Spoelstra will be forced to give Kelly Olynyk and/or Meyers Leonard considerable time at center. They need some size, but are either going to trouble Davis? The answer is likely a resounding no.

Kelly Olynyk 🇨🇦 will be repping CANADA in the NBA Finals! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AVWRde4LMg

— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) September 28, 2020

The former first overall pick has passed the 30-point mark seven times in these playoffs. He’s a great bet to make that eight.

Pick: Over 29.5 points (+100)

Finals Danny Green

A lot is made of Playoff Rondo, and justifiably so. Danny Green, as streaky a shooter as they come, has his own postseason niche.

Playing for the Spurs, Raptors and now Lakers, Green has a knack for delivering in the Finals. He’s one of only a handful of players lucky enough to make the Finals on three different teams, of course, but he’s been a major cog in each of those machines, and he put in a massive performance on both ends in Game 1.

Congrats to @DGreen_14 for breaking a tie with Lakers legends Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher for 7th-most Finals 3-pointers of all-time 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QnTwIpgaKe

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 1, 2020

The 33-year-old hit a couple of shots from beyond the arc on his way to 11 points in what was an excellent two-way performance. A pair of steals and three blocks featured on his line, too, and he showed a versatility offensively that made a major difference for the Lakers.

Strictly a catch-and-shoot three-point guy for most of his career, Green didn’t settle for semi-contested jumpers in Game 1. He attacked off the dribble (a rare sight) and made several great passes. Plays like that don’t necessarily result in assists, but it helped the flow of the offense.

Barack Obama and other NBA legends in attendance for Game 1 of the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/6E3NeuDa6Q

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 1, 2020

The former Raptor has gone five-for-12 from three over his last two games. He was six-for-21 in the first four games of the Conference Finals. It appears he has broken out of a slump, and his willingness to put the ball on the floor should help his three-point shooting further.

Pick: Over 1.5 threes (-112)

Aggressive Jimmy Butler a Necessity

A lot was made of the Heat having different leading scorers in their first three series. It speaks of the equality of their offense. With Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic doubtful for Game 2, though, Miami needs their best player to take over, they need the Jimmy Butler who scored 38 points in 29 minutes against the Sixers in February.

Butler has to take more than the 13 shots he managed in Game 1 if the Heat are to see their NBA championship odds improve. Amidst the Adebayo and Dragic injury news, though, Butler’s own nasty ankle turn has been glossed over. In typical Jimmy fashion, he downplayed it and said he’s fine to go, but he limped for periods of the second half, and that’s an injury that will make it difficult to drive to the basket.

Jimmy Butler on speaking to Goran Dragic, “you can hear the pain in his voice that he thinks he let us down. I want him to know he did not.” Adds that Dragic helped carry them to this point and they’re playing for him.

— Will Manso (@WillManso) October 1, 2020

The former Chicago Bull will have the majority of the defense’s attention on Friday. The responsibility to dictate the offense and handle the ball falls to him with Dragic expected to sit out.

Butler is a good judge of when to be aggressive. He picks his spots, drawing contact and going at weaker or foul-troubled defenders. The whole of Game 2 is his time. It’s his opportunity to keep the Heat in the series.

His playoff performances to date do not make the over look appealing. Butler has scored over 22.5 on just six occasions, four of which came in the first two rounds. However, there’s a necessity for him to take more shots and lead the offense in the absence of the Heat’s other leading scorers.

If his ankle is fine, as he claims it is, Butler will go out to dominate from tip-off. He could score most of those 23 in free throws.

Pick: Over 22.5 points (-167)