NBA Playoffs Props for Tonight: 2 Props to Target for Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 2 (5/18)
NBA Playoffs Props for Tonight: 2 Props to Target for Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 2 (5/18)
The Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers just might be the two best teams in basketball right now. They gave us an all-time classic playoff game on Tuesday night in a 132-126 finish to give Denver a 1-0 series lead.
The Lakers enter Game 2 as 5.5-point underdogs as they aim to even up the series. But their lineup could look slightly different tonight.
Let's jump into today's picks!
NBA Props Tonight - Thursday, May 18
Rui Hachimura Over 11.5 Points -120 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbooks have the best odds
Rui Hachimura 15+ Points +205 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbooks have the best odds
We're rolling with a two-pack of Rui Hachimura props tonight. The mid-season acquisition should be a massive part of the Lakers' game plan as they try to steal a road win in Game 2 tonight. He played 28 minutes in Game 1 on Tuesday night and could see even more playing time moving forward. Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham is reportedly considering starting Hachimura tonight, which means he should be locked into plenty of playing time no matter what.
Rui has played at least 22 minutes in 21 games since being traded to LA. He's scored 12+ points in 15 of these 21 games, averaging 14.7 PPG. In 29 games alongside both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he has scored 13.6 points per 28 minutes. But it wouldn't be a surprise to see the former Wizards forward play upwards of 30 minutes in Game 2.
Jarred Vanderbilt provides very little to Los Angeles' offense in this series, while D'Angelo Russell functioned as a turnstile on defense. That leaves Hachimura as one of the best two-way options for the Lakers. And he can expect to see some advantageous matchups, too. His primary defender was Michael Porter Jr., but he also saw a decent amount of Jamal Murray and Jeff Green throughout Tuesday night's action. MPJ is a weak one-on-one defender, while Murray is too small, and Green is too slow to hang with Rui.
Hachimura has scored 16+ points in 5 of 6 games seeing at least 22 minutes this postseason. He's hit this mark in 9 of 16 games seeing 25+ minutes as a Laker. Given what he brings to the table as a secondary scoring option and a potential Jokic defender, Rui should play a large role for the Lakers.