With three more playoff games on tap in the NBA tonight, we have three more player prop bets for you to pair with the action.
Who will step up for the Bucks with Khris Middleton out? Plus, can CJ McCollum lead the Pelicans to another upset of the Suns?
Check out our NBA player prop picks for Friday, April 22, as we bank on some of the NBA's best to do their thing.
NBA player props for April 22
- Antetokounmpo Over 13.5 rebounds (-134)
- Holiday Over 21.5 points (-104)
- McCollum Over 5.5 assists (-120)
Picks made on 4/22/2022 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
The odds widgets below represent the best odds currently available for each betting market at regulated sportsbooks.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
If you're signing up for a new sportsbook for the NBA Playoffs, here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) Place a same-game parlay on any NBA game at DraftKings (until 4/22) and get up to $10 back in free bets if your SGP loses! Claim Now
B) New users can get two risk-free bets up to $2,000 at PointsBet! Claim Now
*Eligible USA locations only
Today’s best NBA player props
Greek glass cleaner
Sportsbooks have started to adjust to the fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo has bodied the Chicago Bulls on the boards all season long. But not enough to scare us away from his rebounding prop when he and the Milwaukee Bucks head to Chicago for Game 3 of their first-round series.
Antetokounmpo has obviously been a freak on the glass all year, averaging 11.6 rebounds per game, and since the All-Star game, has bumped that number up to 12.6. But it’s the Bulls who really can’t stand to see him on the boards.
In six games against Chicago this season, including the playoffs, Giannis has hauled down 12, 16, 17, 9, 16, and 18 rebounds. In the game in which he had nine, he played just 24 minutes.
That’s not too surprising when you consider Chicago has been just awful on the glass. Since coming out of the All-Star break, the Bulls rank 27th in rebounding percentage and have grabbed the second-fewest rebounds per game.
This number is already juiced to the Over a bit but it’s hard to say no to when the guy has averaged 14.7 rebounds per game in this matchup. Bet on another big day for Giannis on the boards.
Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 13.5 rebounds (-134 at FanDuel)
Jrue steps up
Giannis' rebounds are not the only prop we like for Game 3 of this matchup between the Bucks and Bulls. This series took a surprising turn when the Bulls took Game 2 in Milwaukee with the Bucks losing Khris Middleton to a sprained MCL in the process.
The Bucks’ sharpshooter will be out for around 3-4 weeks, so that means those supporting Giannis will have to step up in Middleton’s absence. Who better to do that in Game 3 than Jrue Holiday.
The Bucks’ point guard hasn’t been his best through the first two games of this series, averaging 15 points and shooting just 37.5% from the floor. But while the Bulls have held Holiday down so far, history says it won’t be for long.
No team in the NBA this season had more trouble containing opposing guards than the Bulls. Chicago ranked dead last in the NBA, allowing 81.3 points per game to opposing guards. That was nearly five points worse than the next closest team (Portland). They also ranked 24th when it came to opposing guard field goal percentage.
Traditionally, Holiday has stepped up with Middleton not on the floor. In fact, in the last five games where Holiday played and Middleton did not, he averaged 27.6 points per game while shooting 60% from the field, never scoring less than 21 points. That includes a 27-point performance against this same Bulls team.
Bet on Holiday to bounce back and go Over his point tonight in this one.
Pick: Jrue Holiday Over 21.5 points (-104 at FanDuel)
CJ dishes dimes
Speaking of injuries, how quickly things can change in the NBA Playoffs when teams get hit by key ones. And none looked more important this past week than when Devin Booker went down for the Phoenix Suns.
He’ll miss the next few weeks with a strained hamstring and the New Orleans Pelicans immediately took advantage of Booker’s absence, taking Game 2 in convincing fashion, winning 125-114, returning home for Game 3 as confident as ever.
A big reason for that confidence has to be because of CJ McCollum. The shooting guard has been everything the Pelicans wanted and more since coming over from Portland near the trade deadline.
Not only has the guy been a great scorer, but he’s been a great leader preparing a young team for this moment. And it seems McCollum has built real trust in his teammates because he’s been dishing out the dimes like crazy lately.
McCollum averaged 5.1 assists per game this season, but in 20 games since the All-Star break he bumped that up to 6.2 and has dished out six or more three times in his four play-in/playoff games. That includes notching 15 assists in the first two games in this series against the Suns.
Bet on McCollum to keep being a facilitator for the Pels and back him to go Over his assists total.
Pick: CJ McCollum Over 5.5 assists (-120 at BetMGM)
Did you know that if you played today’s NBA props as a parlay, you could win $52.80 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
